By BY BRUCE HIXON – SPORTS EDITOR
Both victories by the East Brewton Little League Age 11-12 All-Stars have something in common, as the decisive rally came in their final at-bat.
A four-run uprising in the bottom of the fifth enabled East Brewton to snap a 3-3 deadlock and sent it to a 7-3 elimination bracket victory over Covington County Monday.
East Brewton continued its path through the elimination bracket Tuesday where it met Andalusia, a team it defeated 7-6 in Saturday's opening round. If East Brewton won, it will play Tuesday's Brewton/Opp loser tonight at 7 p.m. in the final elimination bracket contest. The championship round starts Thursday.
East Brewton never trailed in Monday's game although it did let a pair of leads slip away.
East Brewton took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on back-to-back two-out doubles by Brian Settle and Hunter Mullins. That lead grew to 2-0 in the third. Sa'Core McCants led off with a single, but Damion Williams hit into a fielder's choice. Dalton Evans got the rally going again with a single and back-to-back walks to Settle and Mullins forced in Williams.
Covington County got those two runs back in the top of the fourth when it got a two-run double by Hunter Greathouse.
East Brewton regained a 3-2 lead in the bottom half of the fourth when Trent Wright walked, was sacrificed to second by Shawn Lucas and scored on a triple by Williams.
Once again Covington County fought back and tied the game at 3-3 with a run in the top of the fifth when Troy Nolan doubled and Jordan Walker singled him home.
East Brewton had just one hit in its decisive four-run rally in the bottom of the fifth and that was a leadoff single by Settle, who was later erased in a fielder's choice. Mullins walked, Dylan Godwin hit into a fielder's choice, Cameron Blackman and Cameron Easterling both walked, Shawn Lucas hit into a fielder's choice and both Trace Thomas and Williams walked. There was also a run-scoring wild pitch.
Evans went the first five and one-third innings to get the win, as he scattered eight hits with five strikeouts. Godwin closed things out with a pair of strikeouts.
At Evergreen
Covington Co. 000 210 - 3 9 0
East Brewton 101 14X - 7 7 0
East Brewton 7, Andalusia 6
East Brewton came from behind in its final at-bat to nip Andalusia 7-6 in Saturday's opening round.
Andalusia had a 6-5 advantage headed into the bottom of the fifth. Trent Wright led off for East Brewton with a single and went to second on a throwing error.
Dylan Godwin then belted a double off the outfield wall. Wright beat the throw home, as Godwin took third on the play. The Andalusia catcher then tried to get Godwin at third and threw the ball into left field, which allowed Godwin to circle the bases for the equivalent of a two-run homer.
The first four innings were a seesaw contest.
Andalusia took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Jed Rodgers reached on an error, went to third on Jalen Cross' single and scored when Bo Weaver hit into a double play.
East Brewton tied the game without the aid of a hit in the bottom of the first, as Damion Williams walked, went to third on two wild pitches and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brian Settle.
Andalusia regained a 2-1 lead in the top of the second when Quinton Maddox doubled, stole third and scored on a throwing error on the play, but East Brewton quickly tied it and took a 5-2 lead with a four-run rally in the bottom of the second.
Godwin singled, Cameron Blackman reached on an error and Shawn Lucas walked to load the bases. Andalusia pitcher Daniel Henderson then walked Trace Thomas to force in Godwin with the tying run.
Williams put East Brewton ahead with a sacrifice fly that plated Blackman and Settle's two-run single two batters later made it 5-2.
Andalusia took its third lead of the game in the top of the fourth when it scored four times against East Brewton starting hurler Hunter Mullins to go up 6-5. The key blows were a two-run single by Ross Graham and a two-run single by Cross that also included an error on the play.
Dalton Evans hurled two and one-third innings of scoreless relief for East Brewton to get the win. Evans gave up just one hit and struck out two in his stint.
At Evergreen
Andalusia 110 400 - 6 8 3
East Brewton 140 02X - 7 7 3