Playoff roundup
- Updated: April 23, 2016
Alexandria erupts in nightcap for split, Oxford sweeps its opener, PV drops two close ones
Oxford’s Judd Moore slides into second as the Yellow Jackets show their aggressiveness on the base paths against Briarwood Christian. Below, Oxford coach Wes Brooks goes over a few things with first-game starter Brody Syer. (Photos by Kristen Stringer/Krisp Pics Photography)
By East Alabama Sports Today
They could have been emotionally spent after the first game, but instead the Alexandria Valley Cubs turned a tough loss into an inspirational springboard.
The Valley Cubs split the doubleheader of their Class 5A playoff series with Moody Friday, erupting for a 19-3 victory in the nightcap after losing the opener 5-1 in eight innings.
The teams will decide the series today at Alexandria at 1 p.m.
The Cubs scored in every inning but one in the nightcap, smashing 16 hits. Five players had at least two hits and six drove in at least two runs.
The top third of their lineup – Zac Stevens, Riley Shaw and pitcher Cody Dodd – went a combined 9-for-14 with 10 RBIs. Shaw and Dodd each drove in four runs.
They took control with a six-run second inning and ended it with seven in the sixth.
Dodd pitched all six innings, allowing three hits and striking out 11.
Moody scored four runs in the top of the eighth to win the opener. John Martin went 4-for-4, including the go-ahead RBI double. The Blue Devils added their other runs on an infield error, bases-loaded hit batsman and a wild pitch.
The Valley Cubs tied the game 1-1 in the fifth inning on Jacob Heathcock’s bases-loaded walk.
Game One
Moody 100 000 04 — 5 6 1
Alexandria 000 010 00 — 1 7 1
WP: Bailey Isbell. LP: Will Reaves.
Game Two
Alexandria 262 207 — 19 16 0
Moody 010 200 — 3 3 2
WP: Cody Dodd. LP: Nick Swisher.
Oxford 6, Briarwood Christian 0
Oxford 6, Briarwood Christian 2
OXFORD – The eighth-ranked Yellow Jackets created multiple ways to score runs and got some strong starting pitching to sweep their opening series in the Class 6A playoffs.
They’ll now host Homewood, which swept Pell City in their playoff opening series.
“We got some clutch hits, our base-running was basically the difference in the game,” Oxford coach Wes Brooks said. “It was not our typical win in Game One. It was manufacturing runs and moving guys over.”
The Yellow Jackets scored their first run when Nate Lloyd stole third and came home when the attempt to throw him out went awry. Lloyd had two hits in both games.
Brody Syer scattered five hits and struck out six before hitting his pitch limit and coming out in the sixth. Andy Hammond threw six shutout innings in the nightcap, giving up three hits and striking out six. Trey Hopper closed both games.
“I thought we were really focused,” Brooks said. “It was nice to sit back and watch us play. It’s not like we played perfect by no means, but it seemed every aspect of the game … we were really, really focused.”
Game One
Briarwood 000 000 0 — 0 6 3
Oxford 113 100 x — 6 7 2
WP: Brody Syer. LP: Sam Strickland.
Game Two
Oxford 012 102 0 — 6 5 1
Briarwood 000 000 2 — 2 5 2
WP: Andy Hammond. LP: Logan Whittlesey.
Westbrook Christian 3, Pleasant Valley 2
Westbrook Christian 3, Pleasant Valley 1
RAINBOW CITY – The Raiders got two solid pitching performances from Elijah Borders and Caden McCurdy, but couldn’t find enough offense against two strong Westbrook pitchers.
Borders battled Tyler Self in the opener. Borders gave up six hits and one earned run, while Self gave up four hits and an earned run.
Westbrook pushed across single runs in the second, third and fourth innings.
Kyle Leonard singled home a run in the second, Cullen Stafford singled home a run in the third and Tyler Self’s groundout in the fourth plated the go-ahead run after PV tied the game in the top of the inning.
Borders solo homer gave the Raiders a 1-0 lead in the second.
McCurdy went the distance in the nightcap, giving up eight hits and striking out six. But Garret Kennedy was just a little better for the Warriors, allowing one earned run on six hits with three strikeouts in six innings. Troy Bearden closed in the seventh.
Westbrook struck this time with single runs in the second, fifth and sixth innings. Self singled home the runs in the second and sixth.
Dakota Jones singled home PV’s lone run in the fifth. Caden Turner had two hits for the Raiders.
The Warriors now travel to Piedmont for Round Two.
Game One
Pleasant Valley 010 100 0 – 2 4 1
Westbrook 011 100 x – 3 6 0
WP: Tyler Self. LP: Elijah Borders. WP: Elijah Borders.
Game Two
Westbrook 010 011 0 – 3 8 0
Pleasant Valley 000 010 0 – 1 7 0
WP: Garret Kennedy. LP: Caden McCurdy.
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