Eufaula’s 9-year-olds lose slugfest

The Eufaula 9-year-old All Stars didn’t quit when they fell behind 6-0 in the second inning.

And they didn’t fold when a three-run lead became a four-run deficit in a matter of minutes.

In fact, Eufaula had a chance to defeat undefeated Enterprise American Tuesday evening in the district tournament semifinals. However, they fell just short, losing 14-1.

Eufaula finished 2-2 in the tournament - good enough for third place. However, Tuesday’s loss was heartbreaking.

Eufaula entered the sixth and final inning trailing 14-11, but was able to hold Enterprise American scoreless in the top half of the inning.

The local All Stars threatened to rally in the bottom half of the inning. Dannon Whitehead and Fate Calton led off the inning with singles. Will Cobb then walked to load the bases with nobody out.

But Enterprise pitcher Dalton Adkison was able to pitch out of the jam. He retired Tony Johnson on a called third strike - even though many Eufaula fans thought it was a ball.

The next batter, Daniel Yearta, followed with a hot shot to the right side that at first appeared to be a hit. But the ball was snagged by an Enterprise American fielder who threw to first for the game-ending double play.

It was a fitting conclusion to a wild game that lasted 2 hours and 45 minutes.

The first inning was benign enough with neither team scoring. Enterprise American had much better luck in the top half of the second, sending 12 batters to the plate in what would be a six-run inning.

Adkison, Sam Purvis, Andrew Osteen, Koty Fulton, Nathan Light and Coston Couch all scored in the inning as Enterprise American took advantage of six hits, two walks, an error and a hit batsman.

The Eufaula All Stars quickly answered.

Carsyn Moore and Michael Lewis led off the Eufaula half of the second inning with singles. They eventually scored to make the score 6-2.

Eufaula’s best inning came in the bottom half of the third. The local team took its first lead, plating five runners.

Cobb and Johnson both reached on errors to start the inning. Yearta followed with an infield single to plate Cobb.

Eufaula’s bats came alive as Moore belted a triple to plate Trent Webb and tie the game at 6-6. Two batters later Calan Ates singled to bring home Moore.

Yearta and Frank Garrison also scored in the inning.

Enterprise American tied the game in the top half of the fourth after Couch singled to drive home Light. Eufaula answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Whitehead doubled with one out and scored after Cobb reached on an error. Cobb would score on a Johnson triple to the center field fence. Johnson then scored after Enterprise American committed an error on a rundown attempt.

Eufaula led 10-7 entering the fifth inning. But Enterprise American still had life.

Chance Warren’s single to left field on a 1-2 pitch sparked what would be a seven-run inning. Warren, Hunter Peacock, Adkison, Purvis, Fulton, Light and Couch all scored in the inning as Enterprise American tallied five hits. Eufaula also committed one error and walked a pair of batters.

Purvis scored the go-ahead run after Fulton singled to right field, making the score 11-10.

Eufaula did score once in the bottom half of the fifth after Jackson Parker singled home Lewis, who reached base when he was hit by a pitch. However, Eufaula stranded two runners in the bottom of the fifth and then could not capitalize on its bases-loaded opportunity in the sixth inning.

Moore, Lewis and Cobb each scored twice for Eufaula. Moore and Whitehead both had two hits for Eufaula.