Saints’ comeback falls short

Published 12:10 am Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Despite two game-tying home runs from catcher Jacoby Adams, Selma could not wrestle the lead away from Carver-Montgomery in a 14-11 loss on Monday.

With Selma trailing 10-8 in the bottom of the sixth inning and the Saints’ cause appearing bleaker by the minute, Adams belted his second two-run home run of the day to tie the game.

But, as the Tigers did after Adams’ two-run home run in the fourth inning, they quickly retook the lead.

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“We couldn’t quite get over the hump,” said Selma coach Warren Brown. “It seemed like every time we made a run, the top of their order comes up. They were strong. They hit the ball all night.”

The Saints unraveled as Carver put four more runs on the board in the top of the seventh to take a 14-10 lead.

Matthew Burney and Therell Tyus notched singles, and Jamian Barlow reached on a fielder’s choice to score Burney. Tyus touched the plate on a passed ball. Jeremy Banks delivered the final blow on his second home run of the game.

“That home run was very key,” said Carver assistant Cory Wooten. “It gives you enough room to relax. I told our pitchers to go right after them because of the lead.”

Though Selma had twice overcome sizable deficits — and scored a run in the bottom of the inning on a Ledarrius Neely single that scored Richard Ghant — the Saints were out of comebacks.

“When we play our hearts out and battle until the last inning, I don’t think any coach can be mad about that,” said Brown.

Carver scored the first four runs of the game to take a 4-0 first inning lead. In a sign of things to follow, Banks delivered the big blow with a three-run shot.

The Tigers scored two more in top of the third to make it 6-0, but their pitching helped the Saints get off the mat. Selma took advantage of four walks — two came with the bases loaded — to cut into the lead.

Following the walked-in runs, Thompson made it a two-run game with a single that scored Darius Thigpen and Jabaris Hardy. Anthony Blake scored on a fielder’s choice to make it 6-5.

The Tigers answered with two more runs to extend the lead to 8-5 in the top of the fourth.

Adams led the Saints’ offensive effort with a 4-for-4 day at the plate and four RBIs. Ghant finished 3-for-4 with a triple, Thompson was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs and Hardy went 2-for-3.