The Selma Times-journal

The fifth inning alone was a good reason to watch Thursday’s game between Marion Military Institute and Central Christian Academy.

The Tigers cut into a 10-run CCA lead, but the Warriors came alive to take a 19-9 win after five innings.

MMI (1-4) went to the top of the fifth down 12-2. But five CCA errors allowed the Tigers to score seven runs on just two hits. One of those hits was a two-RBI single by leadoff hitter and starting pitcher Scott Gold.

With a dejected dugout full of players shivering in the cold, CCA coach Johnny Raybon asked his team to finish what it had started.

“I just looked at my guys and said, ‘Let’s get this done so we can go to the house,” Raybon said. “And that’s what they did. I subbed a lot of bench players (in the fifth). We didn’t play real good defense, but we came back and swung the bats well.”

Michael Adams, who went 3-for-3 with four RBIs, hit a three-run single to put the Warriors (2-9) ahead 18-9 in the bottom of the fifth. He scored the winning run when the next batter, Keenan Mathis, drove him in with a single to center. Mathis was 1-for-4.

Bud Shoultz got the win after working 4 2-3 innings and allowing nine runs (none earned) on four hits, walking five batters and striking out eight.

Gold took the loss after 3 1-3 innings of work in which he allowed nine runs (three earned) on six hits, six walks and four strikeouts.

Bryan Sanders went 3-for-3 for CCA and provided the power early. His three-run home run to left field in the first inning gave the Warriors a 3-0 lead.

The Tigers scored their first runs of the game in the second. Solomon Dawit and Michael Daniel drew back-to-back, two-out walks. Dawit scored on an error, and Daniel came in on a Hunter Vanderlinde single.

CCA got those runs back in the bottom of the inning, courtesy of an Eric Curtis sacrifice fly and a bases-loaded walk by Phillip Heaphill.

The Warriors then scored five more runs in the fourth on the strength of RBI doubles by Shoultz and Adams.

“We had two starters out today, and that hurt us,” MMI coach David Ivey said. “One of our pitchers is hurt, and we’re short on pitching anyway. Plus our starting catcher is out. But I’m proud of the way the kids battled and stayed in there. My hat goes off to that other team. They put on a good rally and came away with it.”