Morgan wins Pepsi Classic

Published 4:36 am Sunday, February 28, 2010

SELMA — Morgan Academy rebounded from its Thursday loss to Autauga Academy and won the Pepsi Classic, beating Autauga and Prattville Christian in the process.

“We’ve played six games and used six lineups,” Morgan Academy coach Robert Massey said. “I think we hit on something in the last game. We definitely found a lead-off hitter in Ryan Traylor.”

Traylor was one of four Senators named to the All-Tournament Team, joining Forrest Hughes, Johnny Watts and Connor Thorpe, who was named Most Valuable Player.

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Morgan evened the score with Autauga early Saturday with a 2-1 win. Thorpe pitched a complete game, scattering four hits and striking out nine.

Ethan Fancher and Crawford Traylor each singled before executing a double steal. Hughes drove in a run with a groundout, and Joel Yarbrough allowed the other with a sacrifice fly.

“After than 7-0 shellacking we took to Autauga (on Thursday), we can really hang our hats on that 2-1 win,” Massey said. “Autauga is a good baseball team. They were state champs two years ago, runner-up last year and they’ll be in it again this year.”

The second game — a 10-3 win over Prattville — was where the bats came alive.

Ryan Traylor hit a two-run home run in the second inning, and the Senators took advantage of four walks and an error in the third inning to score five runs.

“Competition is one thing, but everybody is still looking right now,” Massey said. “Everybody got some playing time, and I like that. I think we’ve got it down now. I can make out a lineup for an area game now and feel good about it.”

One player who Massey said impressed him during the tournament was Craig Price.

Price threw three innings against Prattville and surrendered two hits while striking out two.

“He pitches to contact,” Massey said. “He doesn’t strike many guys out, but he never throws many pitches. When he comes in, they’re always saying ‘this is the guy we want to face’ but all he does is get outs. He’s 5 feet 5 inches of bulldog.”

Ryan Traylor was the only Senator with multiple hits against Prattville, adding a single to home run, but Thorpe walked twice and reached on a error and scored three times.