By By BRUCE HIXON – Sports Editor
They have had more than their share of games in which apparent victory turned into defeat.
With that in mind, it was only fitting the Brewton American Legion Post 79 was on the reverse end of that role Saturday when it split a doubleheader against visiting West Alabama of Demopolis.
Brewton (6-21) posted a stunning 11-10 win in eight innings in the opener when it scored four times in its final at-bat. West Alabama came back and got the split with a 3-2 win in the opener.
Post 79 had three leads slip away in the first game. The last was a 6-5 advantage in the top of the seventh when West Alabama scored twice to take a 7-6 lead.
Brewton forced an extra frame in the bottom of the seventh when Sean Little walked, stole second and scored on an RBI double by Jordan Ball.
West Alabama appeared to deliver the decisive blow when it snapped the deadlock with a three-run rally in the top of the eighth inning and moved back in front 10-7.
Post 79 chipped away at that deficit in the bottom of the eighth. Will Waters singled, Christopher Griffin walked and Whitney Qualls walked to load the bases. Walks to Damien Jackson and Allen Williams forced Waters and Griffin in respectively to trim West Alabama's lead to 10-9. Brewton tied the game two batters later when Jake Bonds got Qualls home with a sacrifice fly. Dannon Lisenby caped off the dramatic comeback when he delivered a game-winning RBI single.
Jake Bonds had a pair of hits and two RBIs to pace Brewton's attack. Will Waters had a pair of hits, one RBI and scored three runs. Little also had two hits with an RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases. Griffin had a hit, two RBIs and scored twice. Jackson and Ball both added one hit with an RBI.
Ball, the third of three Brewton pitchers, picked up the win with two-thirds of an inning of work.
West Alabama plated all three of its runs in the first inning of game two, which was shortened to five innings. Two of those runs were unearned.
Brewton plated single runs in the third and fourth innings. Post 79 missed a chance to tie the game in its final at-bat in the fifth.
Ball had two of Brewton's four hits and added an RBI. Bonds and Griffin both added a hit.
Qualls scattered five hits in a complete game effort, but suffered the loss.
Post 79 opens up district
play at Ozark Thursday where
it will face Wiregrass at 7:30 p.m.