After the clouds had passed and the sun broke free they came out to play, and though the Demopolis high Tigers had as many as three games this time around to take care of their opponent, they only needed two.

The 27-9 DHS Tigers collected 13 runs on 21 hits Friday in their two game sweep of the St. James Trojans to advance to fourth round of the AHSAA playoffs, winning game one 4-1 and game two 9-3.

In game one it was junior Devin Goodwin getting the Tigers a much-needed win as he went seven innings collecting 7K’s, while giving up just one run on three hits with no walks. “His positioning of the ball was right on target today,” DHS head coach James Moody said. “That was a big win for us because it put all the pressure on them and allowed us to set back, relax and just play.”

The Tigers were again solid on defense as they have been throughout the playoffs, but again it was another outstanding hitting performance by the Tigers that sent the Trojans packing early.

The Tigers jumped on Trojans’ starter Ted Brewer in the fourth inning, what looks to be their magical inning this season, and picked up a run on a Blake Butler rip to right center that scores Goodwin from second to tie the game at 1-1.

The Tigers then got serious with Brewer in the fifth inning and lit him up for three runs as senior Jonathan Sommers touches them all on a solo home run to start the inning. From that point on, it was all over with.

In game two, the fireworks got started early when the Tigers jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Junior William Meador connected on a Adam Mills fastball and drove it over the right field fence for a three-run homer.

Junior Colby Roberts picked up the win for the tigers as he went seven innings collecting 5K’s, while giving up three runs on 10 hits with one walk. “Colby did a good job of pitching around them,” Moody said. “But I think Meador’s home run really set the tone early and with the pressure being on them, the odds just played into our favor.

Meador’s “Godzilla” dinger did do that. After his hit, the Tigers went on to collect 15 hits against some of the Trojans’ best pitches. Junior Bart Pettus led the way for the Tigers in game two as he went 3-for-5, while third basemen Seth Basinger went 3-for-4 with two doubles. Junior Chad Schroeder also went 3-for-5 with two singles and one triple, while Meador went 2-for-4 with 4RBIs.

Goodwin, Sommers, Clarke Kerby and G.W. Washington all had one hit apiece.

By taking both games from the Trojans on Friday, the Tigers will gain an extra day of rest and practice for next week’s fourth round pairing, which will likely be at Trinity, unless the Tigers of Thomasville can pull out a win today in game three of that series.