4th-ranked Bobcats: On a roll
By Bart Moss for the FCT
The Phil Campbell Bobcats went to the beach this week to play some baseball and to defend their status as 4th-ranked 2A in the state of Alabama. The Bobcats picked up some big wins at the beach, defeating Bayside Academy 4-2 and Cottage Hill Christian Academy 16-6 – but falling to Saraland 12-2. The Bobcats also picked up an easy win at home against New Site (Miss.) 10-0.
Phil Campbell 4, Bayside Academy 2
A four-run third inning and solid pitching effort was all the Phil Campbell Bobcats needed to defeat Bayside Academy in Baldwin County last week, 4-2.
The Bobcats scored their first two runs of the third inning on bases-loaded walks as Hayden Copeland and Gage Roberson crossed the plate. Brodie Nix and Nick Swinney scored on a two-RBI single by Blake McAfee to give the Bobcats a 4-0 lead.
Bayside Academy scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, but the Bobcats held Bayside scoreless the rest of the way.
Copeland went 2-for-2 and scored a run. McAfee had two RBIs. Nate Owens got the win for the Bobcats, pitching seven innings, giving up two runs on four hits and striking out nine.
Phil Campbell 16, Cottage Hill 6
Gage Roberson had a big game, helping the Bobcats to a 16-6 win over Cottage Hill last week in Baldwin County.
Roberson went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs and scored two runs in Phil Campbell’s win.
The Bobcats scored 16 runs on just ten hits in the game. They were also helped by thee fielding errors by Cottage Hill.
The Bobcats jumped out to a 5-0 lead, including a three-run first inning. Gage Roberson roped an RBI double into right field, scoring Hayden Copeland to give the Bobcats a 1-0 lead. Daniel Smith followed, scoring on a passed ball, and Roberson scored on a fielder’s choice, to give the Bobcats a 3-0 lead to start the game.
Phil Campbell extended the lead to 5-0 in the top of the second inning, when Ridge Raper scored on a passed ball and Nick Taylor scored on a Roberson single to centerfield. Cottage Hill scored one in the bottom half of the inning to make the score 5-1 Bobcats.
The Bobcat bats got hot in the top of the fourth inning when they scored seven runs to extend their lead to 12-1. Cottage Hill scored five runs in the bottom half of the inning to make the score 12-6 Phil Campbell.
The Bobcats scored four more runs in the top of the fifth inning.
Peyton Thomas got the win on the mound for the Bobcats.
Saraland 12, Phil Campbell 2
The Phil Campbell Bobcats scored two runs in the top of the first inning, but after that it was all Saraland. Saraland scored 12 unanswered runs to roll past the Bobcats.
The Bobcats got their two runs in the first inning when Hayden Copeland scored on a fielder’s choice and Peyton Thomas scored on a single by Nick Swinney.
Copeland went 2-for-3 and scored a run.
Phil Campbell 10, New Site (Miss.) 0
Hayden Copeland pitched a shutout as the Phil Campbell Bobcats blanked New Site 10-0 in five innings.
The game was scoreless until the third inning, when the Bobcats scored five runs. Copeland scored first on a single by Brodie Nix. Peyton Thomas and Nick Swinney scored on a single by Joe Hardy. Nix and Daniel Smith scored on a double by Colby Baker to give the Bobcats a 5-0 lead.
Phil Campbell came back in the bottom of the fourth with two more runs when Nick Taylor scored on a passed ball and Copeland scored again on a sacrifice fly.
The Bobcats closed out the game in the bottom of the fifth on a three-run homerun by Peyton Thomas scoring Ridge Raper and Copeland.
Copeland pitched five shutout innings, striking out seven batters. He also had a big game at the plate, going 3-for-4 and scoring three runs. Nix went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Thomas’ home run was his only hit, netting him three RBIs. He also scored two times.
