By BY BRUCE HIXON – SPORTS EDITOR
Justin Nared's first hit tied the game, his second hit led to the tying run and his third hit drove in the game-winner to lead Evergreen to a 7-6, eight-inning win over the Brewton Babe Ruth 15-year-old All-Stars in Monday's opening round of the District 7 Tournament at Uriah.
The win sent Brewton into the elimination bracket Tuesday where it faced Atmore. If Brewton won that game, it will continue elimination bracket play today at 5 p.m.
Nared's third hit capped off a frustrating finish for Brewton, which lost three two-run leads during the game.
Brewton had a 6-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth when a bad bounce and an infield error started to change the momentum.
Evergreen had a runner on first with nobody out when Bud Mooney hit a sharply hit groundball to Brewton second baseman Dylan Smith. Smith looked like he would easily be able to turn a double play, but the ball bounced over his head when it left the infield grass and into right field for a hit. The bad bounce followed by an error eventually led to a run and cut Brewton's lead to 6-5.
Evergreen tied it in the bottom of the seventh when Nared singled and Ian Nevous and Bruce Barlow both walked to load the bases with nobody out. Although Brewton pitcher Nick Moore unleashed a wild pitch that brought in the tying run, he was able to get back-to-back strikeouts and an infield popup that kept the game tied and forced extra innings.
Evergreen's decisive rally in the bottom of the eighth began with a two-out single by Austin Jones. Nared then doubled into the left-centerfield gap that easily allowed Jones to come all the way from first base to home plate with the winning run.
Earlier in the game Brewton took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a two-run double by Stephen Warren, but Evergreen tied it in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI single by Nevous and an RBI double by Barlow.
Brewton took a 4-2 lead in the fourth. Corey Rilling singled, went to second on a balk and scored on two wild pitches. A walk to Josh Palmer, a wild pitch and an RBI single by Moore produced the other run.
Evergreen once again tied it with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Jones and an RBI single by Nared.
Brewton scored twice in the top of the sixth to take a 6-4 lead. Rilling singled and stole both second and third base. Michael Kast walked and also stole second. That set up an RBI groundout by Moore and an RBI single by Paul Miller.
At Uriah
Brewton 200 202 00 - 6 8 3
Evergreen 200 021 11 - 7 9 1