The Bessemer Academy Rebels beat the Morgan Academy Senators 6-5 in the consolation bracket of the AISA AAA baseball tournament on Tuesday, May 10. The Senators were knocked off by Glenwood Academy, and the Rebels were upended by Faith Academy.

Reid Tolar started the game on the mound for Morgan. Tolar and the Senators’ defense held Bessemer scoreless through the first two innings, but Morgan’s bats did not awaken until the third inning.

Eric Pilcher led the inning off with a single. Jeremy Smith was hit by a pitch, but was thrown out at second base on Reid Buster’s fielder’s choice. After Buster stole second, Tolar loaded the bases on a walk. Ben Callaway then hit a two RBI single that scored Pilcher and Buster to give Morgan the 2-0 lead. With Allen Pitts pinch running for Tolar and Sellars McCurdy pinch running for Callaway, Josh McAteer came to the plate and hit an RBI single, which brought in Pitts. Having the runners at the corners and only one out, Morgan gambled and sent McAteer to steal second where he was thrown out. Clint Maroney walked, and Pitts scored on an RBI single from Blake South to make the score 4-0. Zach Hughey came in to pitch the bottom of the third inning for the Senators. Hughey retired one Bessemer batter but not before the Rebels could cut the lead in half to 4-2. With the bases loaded and only one out, Pilcher came in to pitch. Bessemer tacked on three more runs in the inning to take the lead 5-4.

After a scoreless fourth and fifth inning, Morgan tied the game in the sixth inning, 5-5. McCurdy reached on an error and scored on an RBI single by Smith.

After Pilcher hit a Rebel batter in the top of the seventh inning, Smith came in to pitch. Having already pitched a complete game, Smith looked fatigued. At the end of seven innings, the game was tied, 5-5.

Facing elimination, Morgan brought in Richard Lang to pitch. Lang retired the first batter, but he walked the next two. A Rebel batter then hit the game-winning single, pushing the winning run across the plate bringing the final tally to 6-5.

Andress was proud of his team’s efforts but hoped that next year’s team could go further into the tournament.

Faith Edges Bessemer in opening round.

Faith Academy scattered four runs over seven innings to beat the number three-seeded Bessemer Academy Rebels 4-3 at Block Park on Tuesday.

The Rams had five players with two hits each in the win.