VALLEY - The hitters on Opelika National showed something Friday night at the Valley Sportsplex that will help them not only throughout their baseball careers, but throughout their entire lives.
Patience.
Opelika was just fine settling for walks, as its hitters got on base in droves and circled around with smart baserunning on their way to an 11-0 victory over the Dadeville All-Stars in the first round of the DIxie AAA (9-10) District 10 Sub-District 3 double-elimination tournament.
Opelika has a bye in the tournament before it takes on the winner of today’s Smiths Station-Auburn Blue game Monday at 7:30 p.m. at the Sportsplex.
“We had a lot of walks,” coach Billy Jones said matter-of-factly. “Then the kids ran the bases really well.”
Opelika stole six bases Friday and was quick to advance on any pitch that skipped past the catcher and into a corner of the backstop.
Opelika put runs on the board in all four innings, ending the game with a T.J. Jones bases-loaded, two-RBI single past the shortstop, which plated Peyton Adams and Tray Bennett.
Chris Collins drove in Opelika’s first run of the game in the first inning on an RBI groundout, which scored Jones.
Opelika used its shifty baserunning in the second inning to plate two more runs and take a 3-0 lead. Kolby Lee and Clay Samford each stole bases before scoring on wild pitches, respectively.
Opelika National plated six more runs in similar fashion the following inning.
Bennett stole a base before scoring when the throw to third base skipped into the outfield following Jones’ popout. Will Overstreet scored on a wild pitch and Collins scored on Lee Schuessler’s RBI single. Schuessler, Lee and Turner Adkins all scored on wild pitches.
Opelika rapped three hits in the fourth inning to end the contest. Adams singled, Bennett walked and Overstreet singled to load the bases and set up Jones’ game-ending hit.
“We had some timely hitting late in the game and were able to push some runs across that way,” Billy Jones said.
T.J. Jones pitched two innings for Opelika, allowing one hit and striking out two. He stranded four runners on base.
Collins worked the final two innings for Opelika, facing just seven batters.
“We had some outstanding pitching from T.J. Jones and Chris Collins,” Billy Jones said.
Landon Wilson had a double in the first inning and Landon Hunt rapped a single in the fourth to account for Dadeville’s two hits.
Hunt pitched three innings for the All-Stars and struck out three batters.
Dadeville will face Beulah in an elimination game today at 6 p.m. at the Valley Sportsplex.
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