MOBILE, Alabama—An early one-run lead by the Toros would not be enough Tuesday night as Faith Academy capped a seventh-inning rally with a three-run homer, then held on to defeat the Toros 3-1 in the semi-finals of the 2013 Mobile BayBears High School Baseball Classic.

Malik Rosier launched a shot over the left field wall at Hank Aaron Stadium with a pair of Rams on base in the top of the seventh to put his team up. Faith’s Hunter Beard got the win on the mound with spectacular help from FA center fielder Jonathan Brown who robbed Spanish Fort’s Ethan Walker of extra bases with a diving grab, his second such flying grab of the game.

Will Luft took the loss in relief for SF which had swept to the semifinal berth like Faith with large runs-scored to runs-allowed ratios. The Toros took an early lead for right hander Jesse McCord when Rob Perteet led off with a single and later scored on a fielders choice after a steal and an error. SF threatened to extend the lead in the fourth when Perteet reached again on a bunt single with two outs, stole second and made third on a passed ball. Luft then hit a line drive deep to center, but Brown laid out near the warning track and made the catch over his shoulder diving toward the wall.

“It seemed like today we were waiting around to see who would strike first,” said SFHS head coach Brent Boyd. “It just wasn’t the same team I saw a few days ago. We just never got after it out there. But I think it’s something this team is going to learn from. I’m not one who likes to look at a loss as having any redeeming value but maybe this team needed that to get a clearer idea of where we are and where we need to go back and do more work and how we approach the game. We didn’t anticipate and then didn’t respond well to the intensity (Faith) walked out here with. We have to be able to match or exceed it. Jesse and Will threw well, but the kid (Rosier) took it to us on one pitch and give him credit. We didn’t do as well at the plate as we should, but we are going to get better. This is a good ball team and good teams learn from mistakes and I believe we will.”

Those familiar with the 5A rivalry will know the Rams were hungry for payback after the Toros swept them out of the 5A playoffs last April.

“We're not exactly the same team and neither are they. No doubt whenever these two programs match up together it’s going to be a ball game. And no matter who’s up this year or who was down last year, it’s going to be a hard-fought battle. And we have to learn to deal with factors like (delays) the weather. You know that’s all a part of it. Maybe we had the right intensity or momentum at times but we didn’t show it enough tonight. So we will keep working and hopefully, God willing, we will see them again and be ready. If we do what we’re capable of with consistency, we’ll be doing the things that people associate with Spanish Fort baseball.”

The Rams advanced to meet McGill-Toolen Catholic in the championship. The 6A Yellow Jackets defeated Faith 6-1 in the title game of 2013.

It was the first time a Mobile County team won the event since the Jackets won it for the second time in 2007. The Toros won it in 2008 to end a three-year run by Mc-T (’05) and Baker (’06). Fairhope won four-straight titles from 2009-12. Daphne also has four titles winning three in a row (2000-02) and lastly in ’04. St. Paul’s has two while UMS-Wright won the first official BayBears Classic in 1998 but also won the first unofficially-named high-school tourney held at The Hank the year before.

McGill's Andrew Mahoney was named the Jake Peavy MVP. His teammate Nathan Skipper was awarded the Larry Andrews Pitcher Award and Jae Skoda of Faith received the Chris Boyett Silver Slugger Award which is given to the top offensive player.

The Jackets made it to the finals of the tourney Saturday with a 4-0 shut out of Daphne in the semifinals with Skipper on the mound.