Elizabeth Baseball is Class B state runner-up
SULPHUR – The baseball team from Elizabeth had the opposition right where it wanted… for five and a half innings anyway. The script, however, changed in the bottom of the sixth inning with a call at first base that could have gone either way and a missed call at the plate which resulted in a run scored for Choudrant. Both calls extended the inning and opened the proverbial flood gates as the Bulldogs dropped the Class B state championship game 6-1 to the top seeded Choudrant Aggies.
Despite the loss, head coach Rhon Morgan was “super proud” of his team.
“We had a very good run,” he said. “We just fell short in the last inning. (Starting pitcher Braden) Jones for Choudrant was just an animal on the hill. He’s done it all year long and is the reason they won 28 games straight.”
He went on to say, “It’s just a shame someone had to fall short. Today, Choudrant was just a little better than us. We had opportunities at times, but we weren’t able to capitalize on them.”
The game lived up to its billing as a pitcher’s dual for much of the afternoon. Elizabeth’s Alex Chamberlain sprinkled out eight hits in his six innings of work. He allowed six runs (three earned), walked two, and struck out nine. Jones from Choudrant allowed four hits and an unearned run while giving up three walks and striking out nine.
Only one batter reached base in the first two innings of the game. That came in the bottom of the second when Chamberlain hit an Aggie with a pitch.
The next batter to reach base was John Fee on a walk with one out in the top of the third. JJ McCoy, then, reached base on a fielder’s choice. An error moved McCoy to second, and courtesy runner JJ Willis went in to run. Just after entering the game, Willis reached home plate on a single to right field by Jason Gormanous for a 1-0 lead.
Chamberlain, in the home half of the inning, pitched into and out of trouble. With one out, he gave up back-to-back extra base hits which resulted in Choudrant tying the game at 1-1. However, the Elizabeth starting pitcher got strike outs to retire the side without giving up anymore damage.
The Bulldogs had traffic on the bases in the top of the fourth inning but could not extend the score.
The pivotal sixth inning began with a strike out and a questionable single to shortstop. Chamberlain, though, struck out the next batter for the second out of the inning but allowed consecutive singles that resulted in Choudrant taking a 3-1 lead. Two Bulldog errors produced to more Aggie runs, and a single to center field allowed the fifth run of the inning to score.
One bright spot remained as the Aggie starting pitcher was nearing his pitch limit when he entered the game in the bottom of the seventh. However, Chamberlain grounded out to second base on the first pitch he saw; Aiden Soileau then struck out looking. John Fee then doubled which was followed by a McCoy walk. The game ended on a Gormonous pop up back to the pitcher.
“It’s been a terrific year,” Morgan concluded. “Coming away with 33 wins, this is a team I’ll never forget. It’s really a special year for us.