ANDY FINISHING STRONG: Bulldogs end regular season with big win
Published 12:05 am Wednesday, April 17, 2019
- Gill Morgan takes a big swing. Josh Dutton/Star-News
The Andalusia Bulldogs finished off the regular season with a 4-1 road victory over the Headland Rams on Tuesday.
Gill Morgan started off the top of the first inning by drawing a walk.
G. Morgan moved up to second when Chip Morgan was hit by a pitch, but the Bulldogs weren’t able to push across a run in the opening frame.
On the hill for the Bulldogs, Jacob Cravey came out strong as he struck out the first three batters of the game.
The Rams got a single to start the bottom of the second inning, but Cravey followed that with a fly out and a pair of strikeouts to end the inning.
In the top of the third inning, Cravey ripped a two-out double to right field, but the Bulldogs were unable to move him around to score.
Headland drew a walk to start the bottom of the third inning and the runner quickly stole second and third.
The Rams then got a ground ball that plated the first run of the game.
C. Morgan started off the top of the fourth inning with a single.
Two pitches later, C. Morgan moved to second off of a wild pitch.
Brennan Strong followed with a single to right field that allowed the Bulldogs to tie the game.
Gage Messick came in to run for Strong and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from J.W. Jones.
Caleb Blackston slapped a single to right field to move Messick to third with one out.
Garrett Davis then put the Bulldogs on top 2-1 with a fielder’s choice that pushed Messick around to score.
Cravey stayed sharp on the mound as he retired the Rams in order in the bottom of the fourth inning.
G. Morgan led off the top of the fifth inning with an infield single.
Hogan Nichols moved G. Morgan to second with a ground out.
G. Morgan stole third base and then a single from C. Morgan gave Andalusia a 3-1 lead.
In the top of the seventh inning, Cravey drew a one out walk to get the frame going for Andalusia.
Cravey moved to second off of an error and then to third on a single from C. Morgan.
Another error from the Rams then allowed Cravey to score to put Andalusia up 4-1.
Jones came into pitch for the Bulldogs in the bottom of the seventh inning and gave up a hit batter and a double to start the inning.
Jones worked his way out of trouble with back-to-back strikeouts and then a fly ball to end the game.
C. Morgan led the Bulldogs at the plate going 3-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Cravey picked up the win on the mound and Jones picked up the save.
“I felt like we played well,” Andalusia head coach Tyler Dent said. “I was a little concerned we were going to drag since we haven’t played in a while, but we played well. We threw three guys tonight. (Jacob) Cravey, Brennan (Strong) and J.W. (Jones) and they did a good job. We are excited now to get the playoffs started.”
Andalusia will host the first round of the Class 4A state playoffs beginning on Thursday against W.S. Neal.
Game one is scheduled for 4 p.m., and game two is scheduled for 6 p.m.
If needed, game three will be played Friday at 4 p.m.