Valley wins pitching duel over Tigers in game two

Demopolis (23-7) scratched out only one run against Valley ace Matt Foster Saturday en route to a 3-1 loss in game two of the team’s Class 5A playoff series.

The Demopolis loss ties the series at 1-1 after the Tigers took the opener 9-8 in Friday night.

Foster surrendered just three hits in the game, a pair of singles to Mason Rogers and a bunt single to Walker Davis. Despite Foster’s 12 strikeouts, the Tigers were not without their opportunities against the Florida junior college commit.

Demopolis had a runner in every inning but the seventh in the loss. The Tigers stranded five runners in the contest, breaking through only in the sixth inning when Brock Montgomery scored from third on an errant throw to cut a 3-0 deficit to 3-1.

Valley took the lead with a two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth that saw Foster lace a single to plate Luke Thompson. Brandon Foster followed with a two-RBI double to score Drew Quinton and Foster for the 3-0 lead.

Aside from the trouble in the fifth, Montgomery matched Foster pitch for pitch through the majority of the game. The senior hurler struck out eight batters over six and scattered six hits and one walk.

Valley won the coin toss after the second game to earn the right to play as the home team in game three, which is set to begin at 1:15 p.m. Saturday.