Ace in the hole

By Staff
Mike Self FCT Sports Editor
PHIL CAMPBELL - Monday's pitching showdown between Phil Campbell ace Griffin Harris and Colbert Heights stopper Jackson Agee almost didn't happen.
Harris rose to the occasion with 11 strikeouts in a complete game, and the Bobcats finally got to Agee with two crucial insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth to earn a 4-2 victory over the Wildcats in the first of a critical two-game area series.
Phil Campbell (12-6, 5-0 Class 2A, Area 16) moved one game ahead of Colbert Heights (10-8, 4-1) in the area standings heading into Tuesday's finale in Tuscumbia.
Beck had the option of holding his ace back until Tuesday and playing for a split, but he decided to match Harris against Agee, who struck out 19 batters in a no-hitter against Belgreen earlier this season.
Harris issued three of his five walks on the afternoon in the fifth, including a free pass to Agee with the bases loaded that cut Phil Campbell's lead to 2-1.
Harris then teamed with catcher Randy Cochran to make the biggest defensive play of the game.
With two outs and the bases still full of Wildcats, a pitch from Harris got away from Cochran and Bart Lewis broke from third in an attempt to score the tying run.
Cochran quickly retrieved the errant toss and fired a throw to Harris, who arrived at the plate just in time to tag Lewis for the third out.
Clinging to a one-run lead, the Bobcats gave Harris a little more breathing room in the sixth.
Cochran sparked the rally with a leadoff single, and Kevin Lacey lined an RBI double to the gap in right-center for a 3-1 lead.
Eric Glasgow followed with a run-scoring single to right to make it 4-1.
The Bobcats got four hits in the sixth after managing just three hits off Agee through the first five frames.
Armed with a three-run lead, Harris quickly retired the first two men in the top of the seventh.
Agee doubled and scored on a single by Mitchell Dalrymple to bring the tying run to the plate, but Harris blew his 111th and final pitch of the game past Troy Oliver to cap off the Bobcats' biggest win of the season.
The Wildcats loaded the bases in the sixth, but Harris struck out Lewis with a curveball to end the threat.
The Bobcats manufactured a run in the first when Aaron Voyles reached on an error, stole second, took third on a grounder and scored on a wild pitch.
Phil Campbell stretched the lead to 2-0 in the fourth when Glasgow reached on an error and scored on Carter's double down the right field line.
Cochran also went 2-for-3, and Lacey, Glasgow and Voyles each added one hit.
In other local action:
Vina 13 Brilliant 3
The Red Devils scored eight runs in the third inning and five more in the fifth en route to blasting Brilliant on Saturday in the semifinals of the North Alabama Conference tournament in Hackleburg.
Corey Scott led Vina with three hits, including a double and a triple, and two RBIs. Paul Wilkins and Gary Taylor each added two hits, and Kerry Lawler had a three-run triple.
Taylor pitched three scoreless innings to earn the win.
Hackleburg 16 Vina 1
Patrick Raper earned the win as No. 2 Hackleburg (18-2) defeated No. 4 Vina (14-3) in Saturday's championship game.