OPP OUTLASTS ANDALUSIA: Late runs lift Opp to victory in pitchers’ duel
Published 12:05 am Tuesday, February 26, 2019
- Jesse Coon had a big night at the plate for the Opp Bobcats as he drove in one run and scored another in Opp’s 2-1 win over Andalusia. Josh Dutton/Star-News
The Opp Bobcats battled back to knock off the Andalusia Bulldogs 2-1 on Monday night in Opp.
“We deserved that one,” Andalusia head coach Tyler Dent said. “Hats off to them (Opp) on the way they played. They executed and we didn’t. We didn’t get bunts down when we needed to move runners and way too many strikeouts. I thought we pitched well. (Jacob) Cravey did a heck of a job and we played good defense. We just didn’t execute at the plate. No doubt that we deserved that one.”
Cravey got the start on the mound of the Bulldogs and Logan Ross was on the hill for the Bobcats.
Both pitchers came out pounding the strike zone and did a good job of keeping the base paths clear in the opening innings.
Andalusia broke through in the top of the fourth inning after a leadoff walk to Cravey got things going.
The Bulldogs loaded the bases and then an error off of the bat of Brennan Strong allowed Andalusia to score the first run of the game.
After scoring on the error, Andalusia still had the bases loaded with no outs in the inning.
Ross didn’t let them faze him as he struck out the next three batters to end the threat.
Cravey remained sharp on the mound for the Bulldogs as he struck out the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the fourth inning for this ninth and 10th strikeouts of the game.
At one point, Cravey retired eight-straight Bobcats via the strikeout.
In the top of the fifth inning, Cravey single with two outs to get things going for the Bulldogs.
Chip Morgan followed with a shot to the gap for a double.
The Bulldogs attempted to go from first to home on the play, but the runner was thrown out at the plate to end the frame.
Opp got their bats going in the bottom of the fifth inning with a sharp single from Jesse Coon to open up the inning.
River Day then laid down good bunt that allowed Coon to move up to second base.
Trey Boutwell followed with a scorching single that allowed Coon to score from second to tie the game.
Cravey beared down and picked up two more outs to leave the game tied heading into the sixth inning.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Ross led things off for the Bobcats with a single, but was thrown out on fielder’s choice off of the bat of Dalton Grider.
Trey Spurlin drew a walk and then Coon ripped a single into the gap that brought Grider around to score to give Opp a 2-1 lead.
“For three innings it was scoreless, and then we gave up a run in the fourth,” Opp head coach Mike Cassady said. “We had the infield in and got the ball we wanted and had a little blunder. We came out of it giving up one run and got out of big inning. I thought Logan (Ross) pitched great. It was his first time on the mound this year. We just got timely hits when we needed too and moved runners over with bunts.”