The Andalusia Bulldogs came out strong as they swept the W.S. Neal Blue Eagles on Thursday night in Andalusia for the opening round of the Class 4A state playoffs.

GAME ONE

ANDALUSIA 9,

W.S. NEAL 5

Andalusia fought off a late rally from W.S. Neal to come away with a 9-5 win in game one.

Jacob Cravey got the start on the mound and struck out two in the on his way to a 1-2-3 top of the first.

In the bottom of the second inning, Brennan Strong was hit by a pitch to start the frame and then a walk to J.W. Jones had the Bulldogs in business.

Garrett Davis then came through with a one-out single to plate a pair of runs.

A few batters later, Gill Morgan drove in Davis.

Andalusia got another run off of an error and then a wild pitch put the Bulldogs up 5-0 after two innings of play.

W.S. Neal came back with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning.

In the bottom of the third inning, Davis came up clutch again as he drove in a pair of runs with a double of the head of the left fielder.

Andalusia added a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth to go up 9-2.

W.S. Neal continued to battle as they plated three runs in the top of the seventh.

GAME TWO

ANDALUSIA 5,

W.S. NEAL 2

In the final game of the series, Andalusia got a strong pitching performance from Strong on their way to a 5-2 victory.

Andalusia got things started with walk to G. Morgan and then Cravey was hit by a pitch.

Chip Morgan then scorched double into the left field gap to put the Bulldogs on top 2-0.

Strong was strong on the mound as he retired the side in order in the bottom of the first inning.

Andalusia went up 3-0 when Ayden Amis drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Strong continued to deal on the mound, as he remained perfect through three innings.

Andalusia added two runs in the top of the fourth inning to go up 5-0.

W.S. Neal got their first base runner after a one-out error in the bottom of the fourth inning. Strong didn’t let it faze him as he worked his way past the next two batters.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Strong finally gave up a couple of hits and W.S. Neal plated a pair of runs.

Andalusia held on for a 5-2 win.

The Bulldogs will face the winner between Oak Grove and Sipsey Valley in the second round of the playoffs.

“The first game and the second game I thought we had some really good at bats,” Andalusia head coach Tyler Dent said. “I thought we swung it better in those two games than we have all year. We barreled balls up for two games. Hit it right at people hard on the ground and hard on the line. (Jacob) Cravey pitched well enough in that first game. Then, like I told Brennan (Strong), that means something to me that he guys out there in that critical game two and competes like that. He was able to fill up the zone and get it done. He has been that way all year. You can’t say enough about him. A kid that didn’t play baseball last year because of other things he needed to take care of as a young man and he did that. To see that kid be successful like he as been at the plate and on the mound really means something.”