Good defense and pitching were the difference in Opp’s first-round sweep over No. 2 Bayside Academy on Saturday.

The third-ranked Bobcats defeated the Admirals 8-4 in game one, and then went on to blank the Daphne team 5-0 in game two in the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Class 3A state playoffs.

“I don’t know how many times in the first round that there’s been a No. 2 playing a No. 3 in the state,” OHS baseball coach Michael Cassady said. “It was a tough match up for both teams because either team had a chance to win. (Bayside Academy) Coach (Douglas) Leffard is a good coach; he’s been there a long time. The kids play hard for him.

“Our kids played awesome defensively,” he said. “We were able to put pressure on them.”

In both games, it was a close ball game at 0-0 through the first four innings.

The Bobcats got a runner out a first after a base hit to right field; rolled up a double play; and made a long throw from third base to first on a liner for a key out during the series.

With the first-round victory, Opp (23-8) advances to its third straight second-round appearance, where it will play at T.R. Miller in Brewton on Friday in a best of three series.

Opp’s Landon Hughes allowed one run on five hits and struck out three in 6.1 innings in the first game. Dakota King pitched 0.2 innings and had two strikeouts while allowing three runs.

Zane Hollinghead, Ethan Davis, Holt Hall and Brady Vidich had two hits apiece; and Walker Messer had three hits to lead the Bobcats.

Opp scored one run in the fifth and seven runs in the sixth, which saw 14 batters at the plate.

In game two, Davis pitched a complete game, allowing no runs on six hits and had three strikeouts.

Jacob Johnson, Eli Johnson, Hollinghead, Hall and Vidich had one hit each; and King had three hits to lead the Bobcats.