Rebels rebound from deficit to post big win

Published 12:07 am Tuesday, March 11, 2008

NATCHEZ — ACCS answered a punch in the mouth with a knockout blow Monday afternoon, and it resulted in a huge 21-11 win over Copiah Academy.

Trailing 9-4, the Colonels scored seven runs in the top of the fourth inning, including a long home run by Trevor Blocker.

However, the Rebels came back strong in the bottom of the inning, stringing together eight hits to score 10 runs which gave them a commanding lead.

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The big hits of the inning were back-to-back doubles by Audie Crosby and Christopher Perry that drove home a combined four runs.

T.J. Johnson had two RBI singles in the inning and Britton McCall added another run-scoring single.

“That (bottom of the fourth) was the turning point,” ACCS coach Hunter McKeever said. “We had a little letdown at the beginning but the kids kept fighting and did whatever it took to win.”

ACCS scored nine runs the first three innings, but did so with only two hits, thanks to 11 walks, six hit batsmen, two wild pitches that scored runs and an error that brought home another run.

However, the bats woke up in the bottom of the fourth and carried the Rebels (3-3) to the big non-district win.

“We knew the bats would come around,” McKeever said. “The kids swing the bats well. We came through in the fourth inning and were able to put some things together.”

Copiah was not able to score in the top of the fifth and ACCS ended the game with two runs in the bottom of the inning thanks to RBI singles by Landon Givens and McCall.

The five-inning game took almost three hours to complete thanks to a combined 23 walks and 10 hit batsmen by the two teams.

Copiah had 15 walks and seven hit batsmen of their own, pushing their total of hit batsmen to 24 on the young season.

Colin Dollar came on in relief of starting pitcher Perry to take the win for the Rebels while Mitch Little was saddled with the loss for Copiah.

ACCS was led by Crosby, who went 3-3 with two doubles and McCall, who was 2-2 with a double.

Johnson was also 2-2 while Perry had a double of his own.

Blocker and Matthew Wright led Copiah with home runs while Dustin Merchant was 2-3 in the losing effort.