Hitting was key for the Tallassee Tigers in two games against W.S. Neal Thursday.
The Tigers garnered 10 hits in a 7-5 Game 1 victory before tallying 12 hits in the second game 11-1 win. The Tigers will now play at home against either Opp or Bibb County.
“They played solid today,” Tallassee coach John Goodman said. “For two games we hit the ball hard.”
In the first game, Thomas Lemmond got the key hit in the bottom of the sixth frame scoring two runs to break a 5-5 tie. Lemmond was 2-for-3 in Game 1, scoring a run. He equaled his hitting at the plate in Game 2 and helped himself on the mound. Brue Milner 2-for-3 in Game 1 and 4-for-5 in Game 2.
Overall Tallassee had 10 hits in Game 1 and 12 in Game 2.
In the nap cap, Tallassee was up 2-1 when the Tigers came to bat in the top of the sixth. Tallassee batters pushed five runs across the plate.
“We got runners on, started moving them around, started bunting a little bit, moving them around,” Goodman said. “Then we got a couple of big key hits and it just exploded from there. It's contagious. When one starts, they all start.”
Jack Butler got the win for Tallassee in Game 1. He gave up 3 hits and a run over 5 and two-thirds innings. He struck out two and walked one.
In Game 2, Lemmond got the win on the mound giving up 7 hits and a run. In a complete game of work he struck out five and walked one.
For the day Cash Gough had 2 hits and scored twice, Bryson Rigsby had 1 hit and scored three times. Chase Chumley was 4-for-7 scoring four times.
Abram Whittington, Bry Hathcock and Brody Wisener also added hits on the day.
“We hit the ball hard today,” Goodman said. “We put pressure on them. We got great pitching and played solid defense.”
Bibb County is who Tallassee will face on Thursday in the third round, and if needed on Friday. Either way the next series is in Tallassee.
“We are sitting and waiting to see who,” Goodman said after the game. “It doesn’t matter. We will practice and work to make ourselves better doing the little things it takes to win.”