By By ROBERT BLANKENSHIP – Managing Editor
After suffering through several recent losses, the T.R. Miller Tigers seem to be back in the saddle and poised for the upcoming playoffs. Last week, the Tigers scored victories over Flomaton High School and Jackson High School.
T.R. Miller 9, Jackson 8
The Tigers took an early lead and held off a strong Jackson comeback effort in the later innings to score a one-run, 9-8, victory at Tiger Field on March 10.
T.R. Miller batters came out of the gate swinging in the first inning, scoring five runs to take a comfortable lead. Brad Lannom got on base by hitting into a fielder's choice. Russell Bagwell followed with a walk and Trent Davidson brought Lannom home with a basehit. Randy Holland followed with another walk and Ryan Holland drove in Bagwell with double. Eli Cook got in on the hit parade with a single that drove in Davidon. Randy and Ryan Holland would also score in the inning on a wild pitch and error.
After the hot start, both teams' hitting cooled off for several innings as pitchers settled into grooves.
The bats began to warm up again in the fourth inning as Jackson put their first two runs on the board compliments of a two-run homerun off the bat of Tom McLendon. The homer cut the Tiger lead to 5-2.
But, T.R. Miller got one of those runs back in the bottom half of the inning as James Martin scored on a wild pitch after reaching on a walk. The run gave Miller a 6-2.
A series of basehits in the top of the fifth helped get Jackson back in the game as they scored five runs on six consecutive singles to take a 7-6 lead.
But, in the bottom of the inning, the Tigers came right back through the help of clutch hitting. With two outs, Martin earned a walk. He stole second and advanced to third on an error. Jacob Salter then delivered a single to drive Martin home, tying the game at 6-6. Salter then stole second base and was later brought home on a hit by Turner, giving T.R. Miller a 7-6 lead.
After Jackson went down quietly in the top of the sixth, the Tigers improved their lead to 8-6 on after Bagwell scored on a fielder's choice by Ryan Holland.
Jackson made it closer in their final at-bat as Jake Pugh sent a pitch over the outfield fence, but the Miller defense held and secured the final outs.
Josh Stanley was the starting pitcher for the Tigers, going four innings, giving up two earned runs on three hits while striking out one. Ryan Jackson pitched 1/3 of an inning giving up four earned runs on five hits and Eli Cook pitched 2 2/3 innings, giving up two earned runs on three hits while striking out two.
Leading the Tigers offensively were: Salter, 2-for-3 with one run scored; Cook, 2-for-4 with one run scored and an RBI and Ryan Holland, 1-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.
T.R. Miller 9, Flomaton 1
The Tigers made quick work of Flomaton High School on April 12, holding the opposition to only one run.
T.R. Miller got on the board early. Turner led off the game with a single and Bagwell followed with another single.Trent Davidson earned a walk to load the bases and Randy Holland delivered a two-RBI single. Kevin Durden followed with an RBI single, giving the Tigers a 4-0 lead.
Jacob Salter led off the second inning with a single and Lannom reached two batters later on a fielder's choice. Bagwell then delivered a two-RBI double driving both men home. Bagwell also scored in the inning to increase the Tiger lead to 7-0.
Cook represented another run in the third as he scored on a fielding error by the Hurricanes.
Flomaton scored their only run in the bottom of the third.
Turner scored the final run of the game in the seventh, coming home of a single by Davidson.
Davidson was the starting pitcher for the Tigers, giving up one run on three hits while striking out five. Alex Granade pitched four innings in relief, giving up no runs and no hits while striking out four.