By Matt Cole

The Demopolis Times

DEMOPOLIS — The Demopolis Tigers defeated the Dallas County Hornets 10-1 Friday night. Demopolis used a five-run fifth inning to pull away and seal the victory.

The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning off of a RBI groundout by Jacob Rodrigues to bring in Ryan Schroeder.

In the second inning, Demopolis added a second run when Clay White, who was running for starting pitcher Tripp Perry, scored on a passed ball.

Perry held the Hornets scoreless, while the Tigers added another run in the fourth inning off of a RBI single by Luke Yelverton to score Wil Stephens.

In the fifth, a Stephens double brought in Jamarcus Ezell and Jordan Grace, who was running for RJ Cox. White, Stephens and Jay Craig all scored on wild pitches to round out the scoring in the inning and give Demopolis an 8-0 lead. Dallas County scored its lone run of the game in the sixth when Perry hit Paul Daniels with a pitch to bring in Henry Baker.

The Tigers’ final two runs came by Stephens and Craig scoring on separate wild pitches in the sixth inning.

“I didn’t feel like he threw his best, but he competed and gave us an opportunity to win,” DHS head coach James Moody said on Perry’s performance. “We lacked focus and intensity at the plate and in the field.”

Dallas County head coach Cody Massey said he was pleased with how his pitcher Delando Atcheson started the game.

“Our pitching started great,” he said. “I told out starter if he gave us five innings, we’d be in good shape. He gave us four and a third. We scrapped in the last couple innings, but it was too late. We need to start faster on offense and find a way to get runs across the plate.”

Demopolis and Dallas County will meet in Plantersville for a double header Saturday.