By By BRUCE HIXON Sports Editor
It is usually the leadoff man's position to set the table for the offense, but it was number two hitter Joseph Turner's task Friday in the T.R. Miller Tigers 11-3 road win at Clarke County.
Turner went a perfect four-for-four and scored four runs, as the Tigers won their sixth straight and improved to 9-1 on the season. More importantly, Friday's win improved T.R. Miller to 2-0 in Class 3A Area 1 play.
"We're not there yet, but this was a huge one for us to get in our area. Both our area wins have come on the road and we'll be at home for our last two area games," T.R. Miller coach Jim Hart said.
Ryan Holland delivered a key two-run single that sparked the Tigers to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Brad Lannom and Kurt Prater both went deep in the game. Lannom, who also had a sacrifice fly and a single, belted a two-run shot in the fourth inning. Meanwhile Prater's blow was a solo job in the fifth inning.
Patrick Sorrells went the distance on a four-hitter for the win. Sorrells, who struck out 17 in his last start against W.S. Neal, was held to three strikeouts Friday.
See BASEBALL Page 6
T.R. Miller posted a 12-8 win at Excel Thursday.
Lannom led a 19-hit attack with four hits, while Trent Davidson had three hits and three RBIs. Jacob Salter also had three hits. Holland had two hits and drove in three runs.
Davidson worked the first five innings for the win before Lannom finished up for a save.
The Tigers used a big fifth inning to notch a 9-6 trumph at Jackson Tuesday.
T.R. Miller had just a 2-1 lead (courtesy of RBI single by Patrick Sorrells and an RBI double by Jacob Salter) headed into the fifth inning when it broke the contest open with a seven-run rally.
The Tigers knocked out six hits that inning, although all were singles by Trent Davidson, Jordan Ball, Kurt Prater, Ryan Holland, Sorrells and Joseph Turner.
Despite a 9-1 lead at that point, Jackson made things interesting with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and two more in the seventh.
Prater started and worked the first four innings for the win before Brad Lannom entered in the fifth inning and pitched the rest of the way for a save.
The Tigers head to the Gulf Shores Tournament this week. T.R. Miller will play Pinson Valley Monday at 10 a.m., Chilton County at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Gulf Shores at 3 p.m. Tuesday and Athens on Wednesday at 10 a.m.
Tuesday's game
T.R. Miller 010 170 0 – 9 13 2
Jackson 000 130 2 – 6 9 0
Thursday's game
T.R. Miller 103 015 2 – 12 19 3
Excel 000 340 1 – 8 11 2
Friday's game
T.R. Miller 310 213 0 – 11 12 3
Clarke Co. 010 002 0 – 3 4 3