Pitching powers DMS

Published 4:30 pm Wednesday, March 23, 2011

The Demopolis Middle School baseball team got strong performances from starting pitchers Adam Sellers and Tripp Perry to pick up a pair of wins over Sweet Water Monday at the Sports-Plex.

The Tigers downed the visiting Bulldogs 11-1 in the opener and 10-2 in the nightcap to move their record to 8-5 on the season.

“We’ve gotten better and better as the season went on,” Demopolis Middle School coach Daniel Flowers said of his team’s continued improvement.

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The Tigers got a complete game win out of Sellers in the opener. The seventh grade hurler struck out six batters and allowed three hits and two walks over four innings of work.

Sweet Water’s lone offensive spurt came in the second inning when Devin Black walked and scored a run. The Bulldogs also got a double out of Thomas Glass and saw Branson Davis go 2-for-2 in the contest.

Wil Stephens led the way for the Tigers, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and three stolen bases. Seth Aiken was 1-for-1 with a walk and a run scored. Wallace Tutt was 1-for-1 with a walk, a run and a stolen base. Alston Dinning was 1-for-2 with a walk.

Drew Jones went 1-for-2 with two runs scored and a walk. Jacob Rodrigues had two walks and a run. Tripp Perry walked and stole three bases. Ryan Schroeder went 1-for-1 with a walk.

Perry anchored the Tigers in game two, fanning six batters over four innings of work while allowing one hit, a walk and a run.

“With pitchers like Adam Sellers and Tripp and Luke (Yelverton) coming in in relief, that sparks us,” Flowers said.

Perry helped himself at the plate in the contest, going 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI double.

Aiken was 1-for-2 with a walk and a run. Tutt was 2-for-3 with two runs. Stephens was 1-for-1 with a triple, two walks, two stolen bases and two runs scored. Dinning was 1-for-2 with a walk, a stolen base and a run. Jones had a walk, a stolen base and a run.

Rodrigues doubled and gave way to courtesy runner Adam Brooker, who scored a run. Mark Joseph Johnson drew a walk and Trest hit a double.

The wins set Demopolis up for its weekend tournament.

“It gives us a big leap going into this weekend,” Flowers said. “The way we played (Monday night), it’s hard to beat us.”

The Tigers will host Hale County, Bibb County, Sweet Water and Chat Academy Saturday at the Sports-Plex beginning at 11 a.m.