BROOKHAVEN &8212; After a 32-game home winning streak that lasted over three years came to an end Tuesday night, Adams Christian made sure it would extend its season for at least one more game.

Facing elimination in Game 2 of the MPSA Class AA South State Championship series, the Rebels&8217; bats came alive early and they got a solid pitching performance from Brian Sanderson as they defeated the Brookhaven Academy Cougars 12-2 in five innings.

&8220;We were mentally ready to play the game tonight,&8221; Adams Christian head coach Ron Rushing said. &8220;We swung the bats well.&8221;

Now the series is tied at 1-1 with the deciding Game 3 scheduled for 6 p.m. today at ACCS. The winner will face either Simpson Academy or Canton Academy next week for the Class AA championship.

Sanderson went all five innings on the mound for ACCS (23-5) and held a hot-hitting Cougars team to just five hits. He walked only two batters.

&8220;He&8217;s a sophomore. He hadn&8217;t been in that situation before,&8221; Rushing said. &8220;He stepped up tonight against a very well-coached baseball team.&8221;

The defense behind Sanderson was also impressive as it committed no errors. And the offense was more patient than it was Tuesday night when the Rebels had just two hits in a 5-1 loss in Game 1.

&8220;Everybody stepped up,&8221; Rushing said. &8220;It was a total team effort. We played very well. Great defensive effort also. We played good defense and hit the ball well.&8221;

Adams Christian scored its first two runs in first as Timmy Foster doubled to score Cole Bradford and C.J. Wright&8217;s first of two doubles brought in Foster.

The Rebels kept the pressure on Brookhaven Academy (22-3) and starting pitcher Corey Dickerson by putting up five more runs in the second, keyed by Bradford&8217;s double that scored Sanderson and Brumfield.