Demopolis beats Holtville, falls to Wetumpka
WETUMPKA — Demopolis (9-10, 2-0) drubbed Holtville 14-4 Friday before falling to Wetumpka High 13-3.
The Tigers gave up two runs in the first inning against Holtville before Tripp Perry settled in and struck out six in a 10-batter span.
“We came in and scored five. I just told him to go out and attack the zone. He wasn’t as sharp as he has been at times, but our bats were the difference today. They kept pressure on them the whole time,” Demopolis coach James Moody said.
Demopolis backed up the effort with a five-run second inning. Michael Brooker took a bean ball and scored on a bases-loaded Wil Stephens walk. Jacob Rodrigues reached on an error and scored on a RBI sacrifice fly by Ryan Schroeder.
Stephens and Wesley Dunn scored on a RBI double by Matt Eicher. A wild pitch then allowed Eicher to score the fifth run for the Tigers.
Stephens scored in the fourth inning on a Schroeder RBI single to put Demopolis up 6-2.
“I think it is contagious like anything else,” Moody said of the suddenly hot-hitting Demopolis offense that amassed 13 base hits in the contest. “When people in front of them start putting it in play, they get up there and they’re not thinking about mechanics and they’re not thinking about what he’s throwing, they’re just thinking about hitting the ball and that’s all we want them to do anyway.”
Tyler Oates and Brooker scored in the fifth on a John Anthony Morrision single. Morrison then scored on an error on a ball hit by Rodrigues.
After giving up two runs in the fifth, Demopolis hung five on the board in the top of the sixth.
Schroeder reached on an error. Eicher singled and gave way to pinch runner Matthew Trest. Seth Aiken reached on an error to load the bases. Oates followed with a three-run triple. Brooker singled in Oates before scoring on a Morrison double.
Perry (2-2) picked up the win, striking out six over four and surrendering four runs. Brooker came on in relief, working two innings and striking out five.
Demopolis fell behind early against Wetumpka, surrendering five runs in the first. The Tigers never recovered. Demopolis hung a run in the second as Dunn stole third and scored on a throwing error.
Wetumpka then hung six runs in the third to stretch the lead to 11-1. Demopolis battled back for two runs in the fourth as Dunn scored on an Aiken RBI bunt and Schroeder found home on an Oates RBI.