By Johnny Sanders, Sports Editor
SYLACAUGA – Coming off of back-to-back losses to Springville and Westbrook Christian last week, the Moody Blue Devils looked to get back to their winning ways as they traveled down 280 to take on the Sylacauga Aggies in a Saturday double-header.
In the first game of the day, Payton Isbell got the shutout from the mound as the bats put 3 runs on the board to give the Blue Devils the first win of the day. After a scoreless first inning, Moody’s Blaine Burke hit a 2-run home run to drive in Kolby Seymour, who was waiting on first base after hitting a ground ball that was dropped by the Sylacauga third baseman.
The pitchers would go toe to toe for the next 3 innings, not allowing runs in any of them. In the sixth inning, Isbell got on base, followed by C Marshall, putting two on M Brown. Brown would hit a single to shortstop to drive in Isbell and make it 3-0 Moody.
Isbell would get the win for Moody, pitching the complete game of 7 innings. He allowed only 3 hits with no runs and no walks, striking out six batters in the effort.
In game two, Moody flirted with danger as they held a 5-run lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, where Sylacauga closed the gap with a 3-run inning, making it 7-5 before scoring just a single run in the seventh to make it a 1-point loss, 7-6.
Moody scored opened the scoring in the first inning when Marshall hit a double to center field and drove in Isbell. Sylacauga put up 2 runs in the first to take the lead 2-1 after one inning of play.
In the second, Kolby Seymour would get on base on a single to shortstop. Seymour would advance to second on a ground out by M Morris. Seymour would score on a ground out by Bourne Grant after stealing third base to tie the game at 2.
The game would get really interesting in the fifth inning as Moody put 3 runs on the board in the top of the inning, making it 7-2. After a single by B Dodd, Burke, who was pinch running for L Cherry, crossed the plate to get the first of the 3 runs. Isbell would be driven in on a pop fly by M Brown and pinch runner D Brown would be driven in by a Seymour single to right field to end the scoring for the Blue Devils. Sylacauga would answer with 3 runs of their own to close the gap and make it 7-5 heading into the sixth inning.
Both teams would be unable to score in the sixth, but Sylacauga would grab a run in the final inning before running out of outs and succumbing to the Moody Blue Devils by a score of 7-6.
Chase Marshall earned the win for the Blue Devils, going six and one-third innings, allowing six runs on nine hits and four strike outs.
“We had great pitching and defense,” said Moody Coach Eamonn Kelly. “Our guys pulled together some runs offensively and we were able to hold on in game 1. In game 2, they threw a pretty good pitcher who we were able to capitalize on a few of his mistakes. Peyton Isbell pitched lights out and our defense made all of the routine plays. Really proud of how they responded after a couple of tough losses last week.”
Moody, now 7-4, keep the show on the road, travelling to Cherokee County on Tuesday.