April 16

Oak Mountain wins a tightly contested Game 1 in a key 7A Area 5 series.

Oak Mountain took an early lead, gave it away, and ultimately got the win over Tuscaloosa County 5-4 thanks to a walkoff hit from 2019 1B Ryan Reuse. 2019 Ole Miss signee Jackson Kimbrell got the start for the Eagles. He lasted 4 innings and allowed just 2 hits, but surrendered 2 walks and hit 3 batters. Tuscaloosa County turned to 2019 RHP Noah Baggett. He threw 4.2 innings, allowing 5 hits and 4 runs (2ER), while striking out 5. Baggett wasn’t overpowering, but he was effective thanks to the ability to locate his fastball inside to the right handed heavy lineup from Oak Mountain.

               Oak Mountain got on the board in the top of the 2^nd with 2 runs thanks to a walk, an error, a balk, and a failed pickoff attempt at 3^rd base. The Eagles would extend their lead to 3-0 in the 3^rd when 2019 Auburn signee Landon Cato drove in 2019 Wallace St. signee Caleb Ragland who led off the inning with a single up the middle.

               Tuscaloosa County took advantage of Oak Mountain mistakes in the top of the 5^th to take the lead 4-3. A walk, HBP, and perfect drag bunt by Baggett loaded the bases with no outs, prompting the Eagles to make a change and bring in 2019 RHP Hunter Hall. Hall struck out the next Wildcat batter, and then got what looked like an inning ending double play, but an error allowed 2 runs to score. Back to back errors followed to tie the game at 3 and 2019 Duncan Burnett drove in the go ahead run on a groundout to 1^st.

               The Eagles immediately tied the game in the bottom of the 5^th on a Cato RBI double to score 2019 Snead St. commit Dylan Fraser. Hall worked a clean 6^th and 7^th inning giving Oak Mountain the chance to win it in the 7^th. Fraser led off the inning getting hit by a pitch. After 2 unsuccessful attempts at a sac bunt by Reuse, 2 wild pitches advanced Fraser to 3^rd. On a full count pitch, Reuse drove a fast ball the other way, over the right fielder’s head, scoring Fraser and winning the game for Oak Mountain.

 

Top Performers – Oak Mountain

Caleb Ragland – 2-4, 2B, R

Dylan Fraser – 1-2, BB, HBP, R

Ryan Reuse – 1-2, 2B, R, RBI, 2BB

Landon Cato – 2-3, 2B, 2RBI, R

Hunter Hall – 3ip, W, 6K

 

Top Performers – Tuscaloosa County

Noah Baggett – 1-2, 2 HBP, R, SB

Matthew Estes – 2-4

Duncan Burnett – 1-4, 2B, RBI, SB

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