Late night thriller: EC rallies to defeat Opp Sunday, playing for title
Published 4:00 am Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Down 8-2 heading into the top of the sixth and final inning, Escambia County scored six runs with two outs to tie the game and four in extra innings to down Opp 12-9 Sunday in Brewton.
The win put Escambia County in the championship game Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Brewton against Opp. Opp defeated Brewton 13-4 Monday to set up a rematch with Escambia County.
Escambia County would have to be defeated twice by Opp to lose the district title.
If Escambia County suffered their first loss Tuesday, a deciding and final game would be played Wednesday in Brewton at 7 p.m.
Opp held a 4-0 lead after the third inning and Escambia County cut the lead to 4-2 after the top of the fourth inning.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Opp plated four runs to extend their lead to 8-2 heading into the top of sixth.
In the top of the inning, and Escambia County at bat with two early outs, Opp walked seven straight Escambia County batters to have their lead cut to 8-6.
With runners on, Conner Huskey singled in the tying runs to tie the game at 8-8.
After the runs scored, the third out was made later at third base.
With the game now tied, Escambia County held Opp scoreless in the bottom of the inning with the bases loaded to force extra innings.
With the 11 p.m. Little League inning rule approaching (rules state you cannot start an inning past 11 p.m.), the teams started the inning right before the deadline and Escambia County scored four runs on two hits and one Opp error to take a 12-8 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning.
With one out, Opp scored one run but failed to plate anymore as Escambia County took the thrilling win 12-9.
Cole Brown earned the win on the mound in relief of starter Weston Riddle. Riddle went 4 1/3 innings and Brown went the final 2 2/3 inning as they combined for nine runs, eight hits, walked six, struck out seven and hit one.
At the plate for Escambia County, Matt Hutchins was 2-for-4 with one RBI and Brown was 1-for-3.
Huskey was 2-for-4 with two big RBIs and Patrick Lovelace was 1-for-2.