By Dan Smith

 

LAUREL, Miss. – After dropping a mid-afternoon 10-7 decision to Florida, the Alabama (Troy) state champions rebounded with a 9-8 victory Sunday night over the Georgia state champions to remain alive in the Dixie Baseball Machine Pitch World Series being played in Laurel, Miss.

Florida built a lead that was too big for Alabama to overcome in the opener, but Alabama looked like a more relaxed and sound team against Georgia, collecting nine runs on 11 hits to eliminate Georgia.

The World Series began Saturday with 12 teams, and when play begins Monday Alabama will be one of six remaining, and is scheduled to play Texas at 3 p.m.

Alabama head coach Bobby Hussey was pleased with the way his Troy boys bounced back from the loss to Florida, and hopes that relaxed attitude of play will carry over to Monday’s game.

“We came into this game knowing it was win or go home,” said Hussey. “We actually told the boys to have fun and play baseball. We have coached them all year long, so we felt they played their best when they are having fun. They got out there and had smiles on their faces. The game went back and fourth, and we went ahead 9-6 in the bottom of the fifth, and we were able to hold them to only two runs in their last at bat. To see that last out at first base, we went crazy. I have a feeling that if these boys come out (Monday) and have fun, they can beat anybody out here.”

Alabama took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, Georgia tied the game 1-1 in the top of the third, but Alabama answered with three runs in the bottom half to go back ahead 4-1.

Georgia tacked on four runs for a 5-4 lead in the top of the fourth and one more in the fifth to go up 6-4.

Known for their ability to come from behind, Alabama scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth for the 9-6 lead.

Georgia did not go quietly, scoring two runs in the top of the sixth inning to cut the lead to 9-8, and with one runner on base the Alabama defense sealed the win for the 9-8 final.

Alabama was led at the plate by Luke Barron, Dawson Bradford and Luke Sikes with two hits each, while Chase Vaznian, Carter Nelson, Kellen Stewart, Peyton Elliott and Wes Bundy had one hit each.

In the first game of the day, the state champion from Seabring, Fla., scored two runs in the first inning, two in the second and three in the third to take an early 7-1 lead after three innings.

Alabama added a single run in the fourth inning and two in the fifth to cut the lead to 8-4 after five innings.

Florida tacked on two more in the top of the sixth to go up 10-4, and Alabama seemed poised to mount the same comeback they had in many state tournament games and both World Series wins Saturday, but the rally fell short as three sixth inning runs were all Alabama could garner in the 10-7 setback.

Alabama was led at the plate by Luke Barron, Jack Baggett, Kellen Stewart and Chase Vaznian with two hits each while Dawson Bradford, Ford Hussey, Carter Nelson, and Peyton Elliott had one hit each.