By By SCOTT COOPER – Sports Writer
Entering their final conference double-header of the season against the Wallace-Dothan Governors on April 29, the Jefferson Davis Warhawks needed two wins for a chance to gain the final spot available in the upcoming playoffs. Rather than coming away with a sweep, however, the Warhawks found themselves on the short end of two decisions that dropped their conference mark to 8-16 and eliminated them from postseason consideration.
With one more non-conference game remaining on the schedule, JDCC's season record stands at 17-29.
Wallace-Dothan 10
Warhawks 4
The Governors took control of the opener early and held the Warhawks' offense in check most of the way while securing a comfortable win.
After building a 2-0 advantage in the first inning, Wallace-Dothan kept the pressure on with five more runs on six hits in the second while surging ahead to a 7-0 lead.
The Warhawks got a bit of a rally going in the top of the third. Dustin Holtzclaw reached after drawing a walk and moved home on Phil Currid's double. Leon Brasington then came through with an RBI base hit to reduce the deficit to 7-2.
In the fifth inning, JDCC further cut into the Governors' lead. A two-out single by Brasington was followed by an RBI base hit by Jack Schwartz that moved the Warhawks within striking distance at 7-3.
Showing a determined effort in an attempt to get back into the game, JDCC continued battling back in the top of the sixth inning. Josh Hasty reached on an error before moving across the plate on Steven Cadenhead's RBI that pulled the Warhawks even closer at 7-4.
Although the hosts had not scored since the second inning, they heated the bats in the bottom half of the sixth while putting the game away. Three base hits coupled with an error accounted for three runs and pushed the Governors' lead out to 10-4.
After the Wallace-Dothan pitching staff shut down the Warhawks in the top of the seventh, the game belonged to the Governors.
Offensive leaders for the Warhawks were Leon Brasington, 2-for-3 with one RBI; Phil Currid, 2-for-3 with one RBI and Jack Schwartz, 1-for-2 with one RBI.
Wallace-Dothan 4
Warhawks 3
After falling behind in the first inning of the nightcap, JDCC fought back to claim a lead they held for much of the game before a late-inning Wallace-Dothan home run gave the Governors' a sweep.
The Governors led 1-0 at the end of the first inning after scoring on an RBI single. But, Warhawks' starting pitcher Dustin Blakey kept the Wallace-Dothan bats silent over the next four innings.
Meanwhile, the JDCC offense got busy and claimed the lead. A third-inning Phil Currid solo home run knotted the score at 1-1. Then, Jack Schwartz tripled in the fourth inning before crossing the plate on Dustin Holtzclaw's squeeze bunt for a 2-1 Warhawks' lead.
The Governors struck back in the bottom of the sixth in a big way. A two-RBI homer was the highlight of a three-run Wallace-Dothan inning that lifted the hosts back on top, 4-2.
Needing some run production as they came to bat in the seventh and final inning, the Warhawks put forth a gallant effort that fell just short. Phil Currid reached on a single and then moved to second after Josh Padgett reached after being hit by a pitch. Currid then moved home on Leon Brasington's single to cut the lead to 4-3. But, the rally ended at that point as the Wallace-Dothan pitcher got out of the inning to preserve the one-run win.
Leaders at the plate for JDCC were Phil Currid, 2-for-3 with a home run and RBI; Leon Brasington, 2-for-4 with one RBI and Jack Schwartz, 1-for-2.