SOUTH LAMAR, Ala. – After sweeping Hackleburg to start out their 2026 postseason, the Addison Bulldogs made the trip over to South Lamar to take on the Stallions in the second round of the Class 1A state baseball playoffs. It was close in game one, as Addison held a slim one-run lead after two innings, but the Bulldogs collected a pair of runs in the fifth and broke the game wide open in the seventh inning with four more runs. That was more than enough run support for Kiah Lake, as they ended up defeating the Stallions, 9-2, in game one. Game Two was a pitcher’s duel from start to finish. A pair of runs in the second was more than enough for Bulldog starter Tucker Thompson, as he struck out seven and gave up just one hit in Addison’s 2-1 win over South Lamar, and they will move on to the quarterfinals.
Addison 9, South Lamar 2 (Game One)
South Lamar starter Kye Crimm struck out the side to start out the game, and the Stallions struck first in the run column in their half. Kenton Allbritton hit a one-out single, then Max Wright reached on catcher’s interference. One out later, Crimm helped out his own cause by lining an RBI single to center field to give South Lamar the early lead. Addison responded in the top of the second. Conner Lane led off the inning with a single to center field, and Kiah Lake drew a walk to put runners at first and second with nobody out. One out later, Jaxson Williams’ RBI single drove in Lane to tie it up at one. Ben Bridges got hit by the pitch to load the bases, then Preuitt Woods got hit by the pitch to force home a run. A strikeout kept the bases loaded with two outs, but Tucker Thompson hit an RBI single of his own to put the Bulldogs up, 3-1.
South Lamar got one of the runs back in their half. Levi Foster hit a single to lead off the bottom of the second and later scored on a ground ball by Jonah Newman to cut it to 3-2. Addison looked to add onto their lead in the top of the third. They put a pair of runners on with two outs, but Crimm struck out Bridges to end the inning. It turned into a pitcher’s duel between Crimm and Lake, as the score remained the same until the top of the fifth.
Talley led off the inning with a triple to center field, and Lane lined an RBI double to left field to give Addison a 4-2 lead. Lane moved up to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Lake to make it 5-2. South Lamar threatened to cut into the Bulldog lead in the bottom of the fifth. Mason Hardin led off the inning with a single to center field, then he stole second. After a strikeout, Wright hit a single to center field, but a strong throw from Canaan Speegle to third baseman Stone Talley, who was covering home, nailed Hardin at the plate to keep it at a three-run game. A fly out quickly put an end to the inning.
After a scoreless sixth inning, the Bulldogs broke the game wide open in the top of the seventh. Talley hit a leadoff single, then three pitches later, Lane hit an RBI double to widen their lead to 6-2. A hit by pitch put runners at first and second with nobody out, and a passed ball allowed Lane and Casen Hill (Lake’s pinch-runner) to move up to third and second. A ground ball by Scout Flynn brought home Lane to make it 7-2, then later that inning, Hill scored on an error, and Woods drove in another run on a ground ball to give Addison a 9-2 lead. Lake retired the Stallions in order in the bottom of the seventh to help seal their 9-2 win in game one over South Lamar.
Lane (three hits) and Woods each finished with two RBIs in the game for Addison. Flynn (two hits), Thompson (one hit), Williams (one hit) and Lake all drove in a run in the win. Lake gave up seven hits and two unearned runs and struck out five in his complete game effort.
Addison 2, South Lamar 1 (Game Two)
Game Two saw Addison starter Tucker Thompson and South Lamar starter Thacker Richards pitch a scoreless first inning. Thompson retired the Stallions in order in the top of the second, and his teammates gave him some run support in their half. Lake, Flynn, and Williams all drew walks to load the bases with nobody out, and Lake scored on a wild pitch four pitches later to give the Bulldogs the early lead. A line out kept the bases loaded with one out, but Speegle’s sacrifice fly brought home Flynn to put Addison up, 2-0.
South Lamar took advantage of some sloppy Bulldog defense in the top of the third inning, as back-to-back errors allowed them to cut it to 2-1. Addison loaded the bases once again in the bottom of the third, but new pitcher Levi Foster got the final two outs of the inning to get out of the bases-loaded jam. Thompson and Foster allowed just a combined two batters to reach base the next two innings. Thompson continued to stifle the Stallion bats, as he collected a pair of strikeouts in a scoreless sixth inning, and he retired them in order in the top of the seventh on 11 pitches to help put the finishing touches on a series-winning 2-1 win for the Bulldogs.
Speegle drove in a run, and Lake scored a run for Addison. Thompson put on a pitching performance that no one will ever forget, as he gave up just one hit, one unearned run, and struck out seven in a complete game masterpierce.
Addison will take on the Ider/Appalachian winner next week in the quarterfinals.
