Opp wins district crown
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, July 9, 2002
Opp scored at least one run in every inning of the seven-inning 15-year-old Babe Ruth District Tournament Championship Game last week to record a 9-7 win against the Covington County All-Stars.
Covington County held an early lead after scoring four runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 4-2 edge.
Opp had gone on top 1-0 in the first inning when Daniel Coleman started the game with a
lead-off home run.
Josh Baker added to Opp's lead in the second inning when he reached base on an error and came around to score for a 2-0 lead.
Covington County went on top 4-2 in the bottom of the second inning when Alex Hamby, Jared Armstrong, Scotty McCraney and Zach Bradley all scored.
Opp scored one run in the top of the third to trim Covington County's lead to one run at 4-3 when Coleman scored his second run of the game. He reached base on a double and scored later in the inning when Holt Parker reached on an error.
Opp went on top in the fourth inning when two runs were scored. Baker and Trent Baxley both scored for Opp in the fourth inning after reaching on base hits. Coleman had an RBI single in the inning.
Opp's All-Stars were on top 5-4 going into the fifth inning and scored two more runs. Parker and Ty McDaniel both scored in the fifth inning for Opp. Lee Martinez had an RBI-single in the inning.
In the top of the sixth, Opp's Brock Kelley rounded the bases after reaching on a walk to give his team an 8-4 lead.
Covington County's offense came to life in the bottom of the sixth inning when Chaz Maloy and McCraney both scored to cut Opp's lead to 8-6.
Opp added an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning when Coleman scored his third run of the game after reaching on a single.
Coleman's run gave Opp some breathing room as Covington County rallied for one run in the bottom of the seventh inning when Brent Hinds rounded the bases.
Opp, however, managed to get out of the inning when Coleman got two strikeouts and a ground out for a 9-7 win.
Coleman was the winning pitcher after four innings of relief work. McDaniel pitched the first three innings for Opp.
The win earns Opp a trip to the Area Tournament in Atmore.
The members of the Opp 15-year-old Babe Ruth All-Stars are Daniel Coleman, Michael Hataway, Brock Kelley, Holt Parker, Ty McDaniel, Josh Baker, Cory Johnson, Lee Martinez, Trent Baxley, Miles Pickron, Lee Hall and Matt Franklin.