Phil Campbell comeback completes sweep of Red Bay

By Bart Moss / For the FCT

The Phil Campbell Bobcats scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to come back and defeat the Red Bay Tigers 11-5 and complete a sweep of their area and county rivals last week.

Leading 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Tigers got caught sleeping, committing double errors on one play. The misstep allowed two Bobcat runners, Joe Hardy and Cole Motes, to score, closing the gap to 5-4.  Later in the same inning, Nate Owens hit a bases-clearing double to left field, scoring Daniel Smith. He was pinch running for Austen Baker, Ridge Raper and Peyton Thomas to give the Bobcats a 7-5 lead.

Phil Campbell extended that lead to 11-5 in the bottom of the fifth inning. Brody Nix, Hardy, Mike Wrona and Smith all crossed the plate for the Bobcats in the inning.

Red Bay had scored first in the top of the third inning on an RBI-single by Kolby Bragwell scoring Alex Burroughs. Phil Campbell tied the game in the bottom half of the inning when Wrona scored on a fielder’s choice. The Bobcats took a 2-1 lead later in the inning on an RBI-single by Owens scoring Raper.

Red Bay reclaimed the lead in the top of fourth inning, scoring four runs: Chase Allen on a wild pitch, Max Bullen on a single by Burroughs, Bullen on a single by Skylar Brazil and Burroughs on a Bobcat fielding error, to give the Tigers the 5-2 lead.

Owens had four RBIs on two hits, including a double, in the game to lead the Bobcats. Raper went two-for-four and scored two runs.

Hardy and Wrona also scored twice in the game. Thomas also doubled for Phil Campbell.

Owens was the winning pitcher for the Bobcats, going five innings, giving up five hits and five runs and striking out eight.

Burroughs went two-for-four for Red Bay with an RBI and scoring two runs.

Phil Campbell 10, Red Bay 1

The Phil Campbell Bobcats held the Red Bay Tigers to just one hit and one run in a 10-1 route in game one of their area series last week.

Burroughs scored on a wild pitch in the top of the first inning to give Red Bay a 1-0 lead. After that, it was all Phil Campbell.

The Bobcats scored two runs in the second inning, three in the third, one in fifth, two in the sixth and two in the seventh to run away from the Tigers.

Thomas pitched a gem, going seven complete innings, allowing only one hit and no earned runs and striking out 11 batters.

Hardy led the way at the plate for the Bobcats going three-for- four with a home run, two RBIs and three scored runs.

Raper and Thomas both had two hits, including doubles. Nix also had two hits.

Bragwell got the Tigers’ lone hit in the game.