by Bart Moss for the FCT

Two clutch hits by Gage Roberson helped the Phil Campbell Bobcats win the Franklin County baseball tournament Saturday at Red Bay.  Phil Campbell defeated Tharptown 8-7 in a game that went back and forth and wasn’t decided until the final at bat.

“It was a struggle,” said Phil Campbell coach Jonathan Raper.  “We had a battle on our hands today.  We had some young kids step up and make plays for us.  We tell them they have to be ready when their time comes and they were ready today.”

It was the Bobcats sixth game in five days and the pitching burden fell to some of the younger players.

“Our young pitchers did well today,” said Raper.  “Nick Taylor, Jacob Anthony and Gage Roberson came through for us.”

Tharptown, already eliminated from the playoffs, sent an early signal they wanted to end their season on a high note.  Max Nolen lead off the game with a solo home run to center field to put the Wildcats on top 1-0.  Heath Hatton would score later in the first to give Tharptown a 2-0 lead.

Roberson tied the game up in the bottom of the third inning on a two RBI single scoring Joe Hardy and Blake Jones.

Brady Petree and Gabe Lawler both walked to lead off the top of the fourth inning and would later come around and score to give Tharptown a 4-2 lead.

Phil Campbell answered in the bottom of the fourth inning as Skylar Tackett, Hardy and Blake Jones scored to give the Bobcats a 5-4 lead.  Payton Thomas contributed an RBI single.

In the top of the sixth inning Mike Rice scored on an RBI single by Hatton and Nolen scored on an RBI single by Allen Gaston to give the Wildcats a 6-5 lead.

Phil Campbell answered again in the bottom of the sixth inning.  Jones and Thomas both reached on singles.  Gage Roberson stroked a double into the right-centerfield gap scoring Jones to tie the game.  Thomas and Roberson would both score in the inning to give the Bobcats an 8-6 lead going to the seventh inning.

Tharptown threatened in the seventh.  Tristan Smith scored after leading off the inning with a single but that was all the runs the Wildcats would get.

Tharptown’s Max Nolen was a triple away from hitting for the cycle.  Nolen went 3-for-5 with a single, double, a home run and two runs scored.  Heath Hatton went 2-for-3 and scored a run.

Phil Campbell’s Gage Roberson went 2-for-4 with three RBIs to lead the Bobcats.  Thomas went 2-for-3 with an RBI.  Jones scored three runs.

Phil Campbell defeated Red Bay and Vina to reach the finals.

Tharptown defeated Belgreen to reach the finals.

Phil Campbell will play at Mars Hill in the first round of the playoffs beginning Friday.