ADDISON, Ala. – After defeating Pickens Academy on the road in round two, the Addison Bulldogs were back home hosting Lynn in the Class 1A quarterfinals on Thursday. The Bulldogs dominated game one 12-1 and after falling behind early in game two, they rallied to defeat Lynn 11-6 and punch their ticket to the semifinals for the first time since 1995.
Addison 12 – Lynn 1 (Game One)
Addison got off to a terrific start. After holding the Bears scoreless in the top of the first, the Bulldogs struck first, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first. Jed Wilkins and Tucker Thompson led off the game with back-to-back singles. Stone Talley was hit by a pitch which loaded the bases with no one out. A fielder’s choice kept the bases loaded as Wilkins was forced out at home. Thompson scored on a wild pitch and Kiah Lake walked to reload the bases. Catcher Jaxson Williams singled scoring two runs to push the Bulldog lead to 3-0. Lake scored on a fielder’s choice and Addison led 4-0 after one inning.
The score stayed the same until the bottom of the third when Addison plated one more run for a 5-0 lead. After a hit batter and two walks, Kaden Dyson hit a sacrifice fly to left field scoring Talley.
Lynn answered back in the top of the fourth inning with a run of their own. The inning started off great for the Bears as they loaded the bases with no outs as Bryce Baughn and Coby Sherer singled and Ashton Hopkins walked. Bulldog pitcher Kiah Lake showed his mettle by only giving up one run, on a David Uptain fielder’s choice.
The Bulldogs iced the game in the bottom of the fourth as they scored seven runs to go up 12-1. Addison pulled off a rare event by scoring seven runs and getting only one hit in the inning. Dathan Cleghorn and Wilkins walked. Two wild pitches later had Cleghorn scoring. Thompson singled, moving Wilkins to third. Talley walked loading the bases. A passed ball scored Wilkins. Lane Stewart walked loading the bases. Lake walked bringing home another run. Another passed ball scores a run. Williams hit a sacrifice fly to center field bringing a run home. Dyson was hit by a pitch and advanced on a Bear error, bringing home a run. Carter Pratt hit a sacrifice fly to left field for the last run of the inning.
Lake got the Bears down 1-2-3 in the fifth to end the game and pick up the pitching win.
Unofficial stats
Addison: Lake got the complete game giving up one run on three hits. Lake had three walks and three strikeouts.
Thompson went 2-3 with 2 runs scored. Talley didn’t have an official at bat but scored 3 runs with 3 walks and a stolen base. Williams went 1-2 with 3 RBIs. Lake didn’t have an official at bat but also had 3 walks, 1 RBI and 2 runs scored. Dyson went 0-1 with 2 RBIs, 1 walk and a run scored.
Lynn had Baughn go for 1-2 with a run scored. Sherer went 1-1 with a walk. Hopkins went 1-1 with a walk. Uptain had an RBI and a walk.
Addison 11 – Lynn 6 (Game Two)
Addison scored first as the visiting team in the second game as Wilkins singled and advanced all the way to third base on an error and a passed ball. Wilkins scored on a Thompson fielder’s choice to give the Bulldogs a short lived 1-0 lead.
The Bears struck back quickly as they scored 3 runs in the bottom of the first. Thompson was able to get two of the first three Bears out as Austin Dodd singled and stood at first with two outs. Caden Key was hit by a pitch and then Baughn singled home Dodd. Sherer singled in two runs to give the Bears a 3-1 lead.
Addison struck right back in the top of the second. After the first two Bulldogs got out, Dyson walked and advanced to third on a Bear error and a wild pitch. Carter Pratt singled bringing home Dyson to cut the Lynn lead to 3-2.
Lynn would stretch their lead to 6-2 as they scored three runs in the bottom of the third inning. After a Bulldog error, Dylan Dunagan singled and Key singled home Dodd. Dunagan scored on a fielder’s choice by Baughn. Key scored on another Bulldog error, but Addison was able to get out of the inning without giving up any other runs.
The top of the fourth inning had Addison to continue to chip into the lead by adding another run to cut the lead down to 6-3. Carter Pratt hit a sacrifice fly to left field scoring Tanner Gaither.
Addison tied the game up in the fifth with a huge inning. The momentum swung this inning as Addison scored three runs, two coming on a big Talley home run to right field. Dyson drove in the game tying run with a single.
The Bulldogs sealed the game with a big sixth inning as they scored five runs. Again, Addison only had two hits as they scored five runs. After a Cleghorn single to left, Wilkins destroyed a ball to center field for a huge two run shot that ignited the crowd and the Bulldog dugout as Addison took the lead 8-6. Lynn didn’t help themselves as walks and errors hurt them in this inning. Addison plated three more runs while not getting any hits.
Addison pitcher Thompson really struggled for the first three innings but fought and fought and was able to stone the Bears in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, keeping the Bulldogs in the game and letting his offense take the lead. Young Mr. Thompson tired in the seventh and left with the bases full of Bears and one out. Bulldog Closer Talley came in and got an infield fly pop up and a ground ball to end the game and send Addison to the fourth round.
Unofficial stats
Addison had Wilkins go 5-5 with 2 RBIs, 2 runs scored, a stolen base and a home run. Talley went 1-4, with 2 runs and 2 RBIs, a walk and a home run. Williams went 1-3, a walk. Carter Pratt went 1-3 with 2 RBIs. Dyson went 1-3 with a run scored, 2 RBIs and 2 stolen bases.
Thompson got the Bulldog win while Talley got the save.
Lynn had Key go 2-3 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Baughn went 2-4 with 2 RBIs and a run scored. Hopkins went 2-4. Sherer went 1-4 with 2 RBIs.
Addison Head Coach Lee Williams
“Feel good about where we are at as a team. These guys are bought in and they really love each other and support each other. There isn’t any jealousy about playing time or who has better stats. This is just a great bunch of guys. These guys know their individual talents and what their teammates do well and not so well. We are really seeing the ball well right now and scoring a ton of runs. If we continue to blister the ball like we are doing know we are going to be hard to beat.”
Fun fact: The last time Addison made it to the state semifinals in baseball was in 1995 and they were put out by Lynn in three games. Addison’s Head Coach Lee Williams was a key player on that Lynn team that beat the Bulldogs.
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