GULF SHORES, Ala. – West Point continued its slate of spring break games in Gulf Shores Wednesday morning against the Decatur Heritage Eagles and the Warriors picked up another big win in dramatic fashion. After falling behind 7-5 in the top of the seventh, West Point scored twice in the bottom half to force extra innings and in the bottom of the ninth, Brody Freeman successfully stole home plate to walk it off and secure an 8-7 win.
Decatur Heritage took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first and a 3-run homer in the third inning stretched the lead to 4-0. The Warriors were able to get the bats going in the bottom of the third when an RBI double from Branson Smith drove in Kanaan Sutter and trimmed the lead to 4-1. An RBI groundout by Eli Folds allowed Cade Simmons to score and make it 4-2 and just a few pitches later, Smith scored from third on a passed ball to make it a 1-run game going into the fourth.
Brody Freeman crossed the plate on an infield error to tie the game at 4 in the bottom of the fourth but after a scoreless fifth inning, The Eagles were able to retake a 5-4 lead with an RBI single in the top of the fifth. West Point responded with an RBI single of its own in the bottom half of the inning when Chase Sibley laced one into right field to drive in Kolby Clifton and tie the game at 5 going into the seventh.
Decatur Heritage came up with a 2-run homerun in the top of half of the seventh to take a 7-5 lead, but the Warriors were able to answer the bell once again. A pair of singles helped West Point load up the bases before Aubry Cleghorn was it by a pitch, forcing in a run and making it a 7-6 game. Just three pitches later, Freeman was hit by a pitch, bringing in another run and tying the game at 7. The Warriors weren’t able to get any more runs out of the inning but successfully forced extra innings to stay alive.
After a scoreless eighth inning, West Point was able to load the bases in the bottom of the ninth and send Freeman home from third on a steal safely to walk it off with an 8-7 win.
Smith and Folds each finished with a pair of hits and an RBI for the Warriors. Issac Hoffpauir, Sibley and Freeman each added a hit and an RBI in the win as well. Sutter was credited with the win after tossing the final two and 1/3 innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three batters.
Other Wednesday scores:
West Point 7 – Daphne 3 (softball)
The Lady Warriors jumped out to a 7-0 lead early in their matchup against Daphne and held off a 3-run push in the bottom of the third to wrap up a 7-3 win early Wednesday morning.
West Point started the game with back to back singles from Bethany Minck and Lexi Shadix and an RBI groundout off the bat of Carlie Wilkins made it a 1-0 game. Sydney Sellers then drove an RBI double into center field to stretch the lead to 2-0 going into the second inning. Minck laced an RBI double into center field in the top of the second to score Lexi Kimbril and make it 3-0.
The Lady Warriors added another run to their lead in the third when Brindlee Phillips drilled an RBI double and Braelee Quinn made it 5-0 with an RBI single up the middle. An RBI groundout from Nikki Tyree gave West Point a 6-0 lead and Kimbril put an RBI double down the left field line to give the Lady Warriors a 7-0 lead going into the bottom of the third.
Daphne managed to plate three runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning to cut into the lead but wouldn’t get any closer than that and West Point cruised to a 7-3 win.
The Lady Warriors posted 11 hits in the win, led by Sellers with three. Minck (one RBI) and Kimbril each posted a pair of hits as well and Wilkins (one hit), Quinn (one hit) and Phillips (one hit) each drove in a run. Wilkins earned the win on the mound, allowing just one earned run on four hits and striking out six batters.
Pisgah 4 – West Point 0 (softball)
The Lady Warriors had less success at the plate in their second game of the day, posting just one hit in a 4-0 loss to Pisgah. Carlie Wilkins posted the only hit of the game for West Point. Braelee Quinn got the start on the mound and allowed just two earned runs on four hits in the loss.
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