• Spanish Fort drops series opener 9-3 then wins 9-8 and 7-5 to stay alive

 SPANISH FORT—The Toros erased a six-run deficit Friday night and trailed twice Saturday before claiming the last lead to defeat Opelika 2-1 in the series and advance to the Class 6A state semifinals. SFHS will travel to Pelham Friday to begin that best-of-three series.

Senior Mike Farnell (5-0) tossed a complete-game, eight hitter for the No. 3 Toros in the deciding contest Saturday for a 7-5 Game-3 final over the No. 4  Bulldogs. The Spanish Fort (31-10) offense scored two runs in the first two innings for 4-0 lead. But errors by the Toros kept Opelika runners in scoring position.

"Mike Farnell threw well for us in getting the win," said Toros coach Brent Boyd. "In an elimination game like this—game three in a series—you have to get ahead of your hitters and he did. That's all you can ask. He didn't have his best stuff today, but he kept coming up with the pitches that he did have. He kept getting people out. We didn't play defense behind him."

Only two of the Bulldogs' runs were earned.

"We didn't panic," Boyd added."We've been in those situations before this year and we've come back. The kids know that they can do it."

Opelika got two back in the top of the third and scored three in the fourth to take the lead 5-4. But Gunner Hendrix tied it in the bottom of the fourth with a solo homer to left-centerfield

Farnell, who caught games one and two Friday night, said the Bulldogs had a strong hitting line up. "I wouldn't say that I had my best stuff, but I knew I had to find it somewhere,” he said. “They had some good hitters. Being behind the plate the first two games I kind knew what they liked to swing at and what they could and couldn’t hit."

The score stayed tied 5-5 until the home half of the sixth when a balk by OHS pitcher Kent Bugg sent Thomas Johnston home from third. Hunter Stokes then scored on a wild pitch for what would be the final margin. At the plate Johnston had two doubles for the Toros, Farnell was also effective on offense with a double and a single, Ryan Brooks delivered a pair of singles and Hendrix’ over-the-wall RBI was a game changer.

Opelika was led by Matthew Christian with a double and a single, Bugg with a double and a single and Tanner Platt with two singles.

Brooks, who delivered a big RBI in the game-two come back Friday said both wins were confidence boosters.

"This win is big because everyone doubted us," he said. "Coming back after losing the first game 9-3, then winning back-to-back games like we did, that's huge."

On Friday

Spanish Fort mustered just six 6 hits in the 9-3 series opening loss to Opelika. Gage Young recorded the win for Opelika. He allowed three runs over seven innings. He struck out five and walked three. Chris Manley, Young and J.D. Worth combined for eight hits and six RBIs.

Hendrix took the loss for Spanish Fort Toros Varsity. He allowed seven runs in five innings, walked two and struck out three. Stokes was 2-for 3 to put himself in scoring position twice with a double in the first and a double in the third. An RBI single by Mike Farnell and a sacrifice fly by Cody Puckett sparked the Toros attack but it would not be enough.

In the nightcap Spanish Fort trailed by six runs 8-2 going into the top of the fifth, got one back and then six more in the sixth for a 9-8 lead and eventual winning score. Stokes (8-1) went the distance for the win on nine hits with 10 strikeouts and three walks. 

Brooks knocked in the go-ahead run after Farnell singled in the tying run in the top of the sixth inning. Dayton Cook went 2-for-4 with two RBI's and Hendrix was 2-for-4 with two singles.

"Hunter Stokes pitched well for us in game two," said Boyd Friday night. "He started out slow, his balls were up and they were hitting the ball well. He started to get better and better around the fourth inning though. "

Stokes said he struggled in the middle innings but just kept battling and then reenergized.

"This win in game two was huge for us," Stokes said. "After we went down it was like a punch in the chest (In game one). But we knew we were going to keep fighting. We didn't want this (game) to be our last one. As the game went on I felt stronger and had more command of my pitches."