The West Alabama Babe Ruth under-14 all-stars put up a 2-2 record in the first round of play of the state tournament, which wasn&8217;t enough to move the group to the top of their pool and on to the final day of play.

In the four games the group played in, getting the bats hot was paramount to the group&8217;s success, but when the team couldn&8217;t find its swing opponents capitalized. West Alabama actually outscored its opponents in the four games by 16 points but needed four more in two games it lost to have a chance.

West Alabama&8217;s struggles started early for the team in the tournament, when it fell, 7-6, in its first match up against Semmes. Semmes got up early with four points in the first inning and one in the second. West Alabama mounted a comeback in the bottom of the second to tie up the game, but the team only scored one more in the fifth inning to two runs in the third and fifth from Semmes.

Hitters in the game were Trevor Johnson, who went 1-5 with a triple, Chase Smyly, who went 1-4 with a single, Ben Pettus, who went 2-4 with two singles, and Russ Seale, who went 1-4 with a single. Semmes helped the group get on base throughout the game, allowing 12 base on balls.

The second match up in state play for the group against Brewton appeared as if West Alabama&8217;s batting woes were behind them. The group put up 16 runs to Brewton&8217;s three.

Brewton lead off and scored all three of their eventual runs in the first inning and were answered by West Alabama&8217;s next at bat, which tied it up. While Brewton failed to score again, West Alabama ran in five in the second and third innings and three more in the fourth, before the mercy run took effect.

Hitters were Johnson, who went 2-5 with two singles, Chris Sammons, who went 3-5 with three singles, Rabe Hale, who went 3-4 with two singles and a double, Roshan Hira, who went 2-4 with two singles, Smyly, who went 1-4 with a single, and Ben Pettus, who went 3-4 with three singles.

The group again had streaky at bats in its third game against Alexander City, where it fell, 9-6. Alexander City got up by three in the first three innings, but West Alabama scored three in the third and the groups headed into the fourth tied. Alexander City wouldn&8217;t be dissuaded, and the group ran in five in the fourth and another in the seventh while West Alabama only got three more runs.

Hitters for West Alabama were Sammons, who went 2-4 with a single and a triple, Hale, who went 2-4 with two singles, Smyly, who went 2-4 with two singles, Tyler Howerton, who went 1-4 with a single, Pettus, who went 1-4 with a single, and Seale, who went 1-4 with a single.

West Alabama won its final game to end its tournament on a high note, beating Huntsville, 9-5. Huntsville scored early in the first, but a single run inning for West Alabama in the third proved a catalyst for the fourth inning where the group amassed six runs. Huntsville tried battling back in the fifth with four runs but couldn&8217;t overtake West Alabama, who scored two more in the sixth.