ADDISON, Ala. — Addison hosted another tough opponent in the 3A Decatur Heritage Eagles. The Bulldogs have opened 1-4 on the season but all their opponents have been quality higher classification schools. The only school in the same class was Hackleburg and Addison defeated the Panthers.
Addison sent Tucker Thompson to the mound, and he came through with a quality start. Tucker got two of the first three Eagle batters out and that is when trouble started. Addison committed an error which allowed runners to be on first and second with two outs. Eagles Bryant Sparkman and Paxton Tarver executed a perfect double steal and then Harrison Hardy stroked a line drive single which drove in Sparkman and Tarver to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead. Thompson was able to get out of the inning allowing just the two unearned runs.
Eagle pitcher Harrison Hardy was on the mound for the Eagles, and he cruised through the first two innings allowing only one hit. The Bulldogs got to him in the third, as the Bulldogs tied the game up after the first two batters got out. So, with two outs Tucker Thompson walked and Lane Stewart lined a double to centerfield knocking in Tad Hyche, who ran for Thompson. Kiah Lake walked and then Stone Talley singled to left driving in Trennon Burns who had ran for Stewart. Hardy got out of the inning striking out the next Bulldog, but the score was tied up at 2.
Addison’s Thompson was dominant on the mound as he put down the next 9 Eagle batters keeping them scoreless for three straight innings. Addison took the lead in the bottom of the fifth as Tucker T. walked again. Hyche, the pinch runner, advanced to second on a ground out and then Lake walked. Hyche advanced to third on a wild pitch and then scored on a Talley sacrifice fly to left field. Addison led 3-2 going into the sixth.
Decatur Heritage struck back as Hardy singled and stole second. Thompson struck out the next two Eagle batters and then Jack Sims singled driving in Hardy to tie the game up at 3. Eagle relief pitcher Jack Sims was solid as he allowed the Bulldogs only one hit in the four innings that he worked and allowing only one run.
In the top of the seventh, the Eagles had a runner on second as Ford Sparkman walked and advanced to second on a fielder’s choice. Tucker T. was taken out and Cole Thompson was brought in the get the Bulldogs out of the jam. Cole responded by striking out the Eagles clean-up hitter to give Addison chance in the bottom of the 7th.
Sims put the Bulldogs down in the 7th allowing only a hit batter. The fans were treated to some free baseball as the Bulldogs and Eagles were going into extra innings.
The Eagles came out and their bats were fired up as they put four runs on the board to take a 7-3 lead. Hardy led off with a single and stole second. After a fielder’s choice, moving Hardy to third base, Olsen Howard singled driving in Hardy to give Decatur Heritage the lead at 4-3. Sims hit into another fielder’s choice and then Dylan Germany lashed a double scoring, Sims. Bo Mitchell and Bryant Sparkman followed with each getting run scoring singles to push the lead to 7-3.
The young Addison Bulldogs, not a senior on the roster and only four juniors, did not give up. Kaden Dyson and Cole Thompson walked giving the Bulldogs men on first and second with no one out. After the next two men got out, Elijah Roberts singled loading the bases. Eagle pitcher Howard was able to get out of the jam as he struck out the final Bulldog giving Decatur Heritage the 7-3 win.
“I am proud of my young men as they just took one of the best teams in 3A baseball to extra innings. We had some mistakes, and we will learn to eliminate them in the future,” Addison Head Coach Lee Williams said. “The start of our season isn’t what we envisioned but I am sure that by playing the type of schedule that we are playing we will get better and be more than prepared for our competition in 1A. I believe that we are building confidence in ourselves and are only getting better.”
Addison:
Tucker Thompson led Addison in pitching as he went 6.2 innings, giving up 6 hits, with 3 walks and 8 strikeouts. Tucker only gave up 1 earned run.
Lane Stewart went 2 for 3 with a double and a run scored and an RBI. Tucker T., Lake, Dyson and Cole T. had 2 walks apiece. Talley went 1-3 with 2 RBIs. Owen Pratt went 1-4. Roberts went 1-5. Hyche scored 2 runs while Burns scored a run.
Decatur Heritage:
Jack Sims led Heritage with 4 innings, giving up 1 earned run, 1 hit and 3 walks with 3 strikeouts.
Bo Mitchell went 2-4 with an RBI, a run scored and a walk. Bryant Sparkman went 2-4 with an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base. Paxton Tarver went 1-4 with a double and a run scored. Harrison Hardy went 3-4 with 2 rbis and 3 stolen bases. Olsen Howard went 1-4 with an RBI. Jack Sims went 1-4 with a rbi and a run scored. Dylan Germany went 1-4 with a double and an RBI.
Both teams will play again tomorrow at Decatur Heritage.
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