SECTION – It took all nine players at the plate and a complete game thrown by Tyler Rice, but Cold Springs kept their playoff run alive and forced a game three Friday in the nightcap.
The Section Lions looked unbeatable in the first game of the Class 2A state playoffs, scoring 10 runs and dropping Cold Springs in a mercy rule shortened five-inning game, but there was no quit in the Eagles.
Cold Springs was the home team for the must-win second game Friday night, so it was Rice who was called upon to shut down the Lions and he did just that. He pitched seven innings of great baseball, allowing just two runs on just five hits while striking out four.
The Eagles’ offense was a blur in the first inning as they sent eight men to the plate and scored four times. Josh Freeman got the hit parade started with a solid single. Leoi Harris singled behind him putting two on with no outs. After a strikeout by Rice, Jakob Ryer ripped a double to the right center gap that scored Freeman and put Harris on third. Harris would come in to score and Ryer would move up to third on a wild pitch making the score 2-0 in favor of the Eagles.
Cody Anderson would be the next Cold Springs Eagle to join the RBI club as he singled in Ryer. Sean Dunn would then hit a gapper to right center to score Ryer and put the Eagles up 4-0 after a half inning.
Rice kept Section in check and off the board until the fifth inning. A double from Trevor Gentey got things going with a two-out double. Ty Bolt followed him with a booming triple to right to get the Lions on the board. Gentey would come home to score on a Dylon Davis double, but Rice would get the next batter to line out to Freeman to end the inning still up 4-2.
Cold Springs added a single insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Mason Abbot scored on an error and the Eagles headed into the top of the seventh up 5-2, just three more outs to force a game three. Sandwiched around a pair of walks, Rice struck out the side and ensured that the Eagles would live to fight another day.
Cold Springs will face Section at Section with a 2:30 p.m. start time Saturday in the third and decisive game in the first round of the 2A baseball playoffs.
OTHER SCORES
Oakman 5, Hanceville 1
Oakman 6, Hanceville 4 (Hanceville eliminated)
Cullman 3, Muscle Shoals 2
Cullman 12, Muscle Shoals 4 (Cullman advances to play Hartselle)
