Elmore County was in the lead in the first inning but the Tallassee Tigers’ near comeback in the fourth almost spelled disaster as the Panthers exited with the 12-8 victory Thursday night.
Elmore County had been on a surge of momentum entering the game and Tallassee was still looking to get their bats back under them. In the first inning, the Panthers struck first.
Payton Stephenson tripled to center and put the notice in early for the program to bring him around to open the scoring. That came true three pitches later as Sean Darnell knocked a ground ball but reached safely via an error and even found himself in scoring position on second.
Despite Darnell reaching third, the Panthers couldn’t bring him in and the score remained at 1-0.
The Tigers weren’t able to answer as a line out, strikeout and pop out ended their inning much too quickly for their liking.
The Panthers added four runs in the second inning with an RBI single from JW Clement leading the way to score Clark Wood.
Despite coaxing a walk in the bottom of the second inning, the Tigers struggled to score once again as the deficit remained at 5-0. An RBI double from Nassin Bryan led to the Panthers scoring their sixth run but that’s where things began to change for the Tigers.
Elmore County had been prone to giving up a big inning in each of their last three games and that occurred once more.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Tigers struck. Mason Stewart singled to lead off the inning before Hunter Timmerman flew out to left. J Manning singled to put two runners on base with just one out. The first-pitch single from Clayten Gough drove in the Tigers’ first run of the game.
The bases became loaded when Blake Smith took a pitch to his body and reached base. A first-pitch single from Jacob Ingram drove in the Tigers’ second run of the game.
Elmore managed to get a fielder’s choice out and put the Tigers in a two-out hole but with the third run-scoring, it was far from over.
Jacob Dantro doubled and drove in Tallassee’s fourth run of the game but the tying runs came in via a different method. An error on second cost the Panthers not just one, but two runs as the Tigers tied the game but.
A three-pitch strikeout ended the rally but the game was renewed at 6-6.
The Panthers had a response though in the top of the fifth. After a walk and pop out, and steal, the Panthers were back in scoring position. Bryan was walked this time around and Elmore County found itself throughout the final two innings.
Downey and Darnell led the Panthers with two RBIs each in the game while Tallassee’s Dantro carried a big stick going 2-for-4 with two-RBIs and two runs scored.