By By BRUCE HIXON – Sports Editor
Monroeville was double trouble for the Brewton Babe Ruth 14-year-old all-stars.
Brewton suffered its second and decisive loss to the district host Friday when it dropped a 12-6 decision in the first game of the championship round.
It took two days to complete the contest, as rain suspended play Thursday in the third inning with Monroeville up 4-1.
When play resumed Friday, Monroeville promptly stretched that advantage to 7-1 with a three-run rally in the top of the fourth.
Brewton had its best offensive surge of the tournament over its next two at-bats to get back in the game. After Brewton scored a run in the top of the fourth, it had its biggest inning of the tournament in the fifth with a four-run rally that cut the gap to 7-6.
A walk to Paul Miller and a single by Tyson Godwin started the comeback. Brewton later got consecutive singles by Corey Rilling, Dodson Herrington, Stephen Warren and Paul Busby.
While Brewton got back in the game that inning, it also lost two runners at the plate.
Once Brewton closed the gap, it was unable to hold Monroeville down. The tournament host stretched its lead to 9-6 in the sixth and added three final runs in the top of the seventh.
Knowles led Brewton with three hits, while Herrington and Rilling each had two.
Rilling started and took the loss after three plus innings of work.
At Monroeville
Monroeville 022 302 3 – 12 9 2
Brewton 100 140 0 – 6 12 2
Wednesday's game
Brewton stayed alive and reached the championship round at the same time with its 4-3, come-from-behind win over Evergreen Wednesday.
Paul Busby's two-run single in the bottom of the sixth gave Brewton its only lead of the game and capped off what had been otherwise an uphill battle.
Both teams traded runs in the second and fifth innings. Evergreen took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when Andrew Rome reached on a fielder's choice, stole second, went to third on a throwing error and scored when Bud Mooney's infield grounder was misplayed.
Brewton tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom half of the inning on consecutive singles by Tyson Godwin, Paul Miller and Nick Moore.
Evergreen got three consecutive singles by Quentin Simpson, Zan Nevoulous and Chase Hawsey to regain a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth.
That advantage disappeared in the bottom half of the frame when Robert Knowles doubled and scored on a single by Dylan Smith.
Evergreen took its third lead of the game, this time a 3-2 edge, in the top of the sixth when Marc Borlow singled, went to second on an errant pickoff throw and scored on a double by Austin Jones.
Brewton came back for the third and final time in the bottom of the sixth. Stephen Warren reached on a fielder's choice, Godwin was hit by a pitch and Shane Jerkins walked to load the bases and set up Busby's winning hit.
Smith started and worked six strong innings for Brewton where he scattered nine hits and struck out five. Rilling pitched a perfect one-two-three top of the seventh with two strikeouts to preserve the win.
At Monroeville
Evergreen 010 011 0 - 3 9 0
Brewton 010 012 X - 4 12 4
Tuesday's game
Brewton opened its portion of the tournament Tuesday when it lost to host Monroeville 6-0.
Brewton pitcher Robert Knowles had similar numbers to winning Monroeville hurler Jodaviar Boykin in two out of three categories. Both struck out seven. Knowles allowed only four hits, while Boykin gave up five.
There was one statistic where Boykin had a big edge, walks. Knowles walked at least one batter in five of the six innings Monroeville batted, while Boykin issued just one free pass.
Three of Knowles' walks came in the bottom of the fourth inning where Monroeville scored five times and broke up what had been a scoreless game.
Walks to Matt Johnson, Blaine Harper and Graham Smith loaded the bases with just one out. An errant pickoff throw to first base by catcher Corey Rilling sailed into rightfield that allowed Johnson to score the only run Monroeville needed.
It quickly went downhill for Brewton after that play. Nolan Wiggins reached on an infield error that allowed another run to score. Grant White had the biggest blow of the inning, a two-run double. An RBI single by Cole Welch capped off the scoring and gave Monroeville a 5-0 lead.
A walk also led to Monroeville's final run in the sixth. Smith drew a free pass, went to second on a single by Gary Bradley, over to third on a wild pitch and scored when on a fielder's choice by White.
Brewton did not get a hit until the fifth inning when Tyson Godwin broke up Boykin's no-hitter.
Brewton got singles by Knowles and Rilling in the sixth, and singles by Paul Miller and Paul Busby in the seventh, but each was left on base.
At Monroeville
Brewton 000 000 0 - 0 5 2
Monroeville 000 501 X - 6 4 0