Wicksburg squeezes by Eufaula

By Andy Brown

Published: July 3, 2008

A 7-6, extra-inning loss to Wicksburg at the sub-district tournament in Dothan ended the Eufaula Dixie Minor National’s season.

With the game knotted at six runs apiece in the bottom of the seventh inning, Wicksburg used a pair of singles and a stolen base to score the game-winning run with one out in the inning.

Eufaula staked claim to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Reid Potthoff led the inning off with a walk and then stole second to get into scoring position. Two batters later, Andrew Price delivered a one-out single to score Potthoff. On the next at bat, Griffin Fenn banged a double and Price attempted to score from first, but was called out on a play at the plate for the second out of the inning. After swiping third base, Fenn later stole home on a wild pitch to push Eufaula’s lead to two runs before a strikeout ended the Eufaula rally.

Eufaula’s lead was short-lived.

Wicksburg pushed three runs across the plate in the bottom of the first inning on the strength of three walks, a single, an error and a wild pitch.

After a scoreless second inning, Eufaula plated two more runs to recapture the lead.

Riley Arrington started the rally by drawing a leadoff walk. Garrett Squires then moved Arrington to second base with a sacrifice bunt giving Eufaula a runner in scoring position with just one out.

On the very next pitch Wicksburg managed to catch Arrington in a rundown for the inning’s second out. It looked like the Eufaula rally was over, but a two-out double by Pothoff, an RBI-single by Justin Warren, a single by Price and an RBI single by Griffen Fenn helped Eufaula take a 4-3 lead before Wicksburg could record the final out of the inning.

Just like in the first inning, Wicksburg answered with a rally of its own in the bottom of the third. A leadoff single, a walk and an error allowed the first run of the inning to score. After two quick outs it looked like Eufaula would escape the inning with minimal damage, but a pair of two-out singles drove in two more runs and gave Wicksburg a 6-4 lead.

With its season hanging in the balance, Eufaula managed to rally for two more runs in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game at 6-all.
Price led off with a single. Griffin Fenn followed with a walk to give Eufaula runners first and second with no outs. Zach Benefield then singled to right field to score Price and move Griffin Fenn to third base.

After reaching first safely, Benefield walked to second base to try and draw a throw and allow Griffin Fenn to score. It worked.

When the throw went to second, Griffin Fenn raced home to tie the game.

Eufaula stranded a pair of runners on base in the final inning, but managed to hold Wicksburg scoreless to force extra innings.

Griffin Fenn was 2-for-2 at the plate for Eufaula in the loss. Andrew Price was the only other player to record more than one hit. He finished the game 2-for-3.
Potthoff was 1-for-2, while Warren, Benefield and James Doss were each 1-for-3.

Potthoff tossed three innings allowing six runs on four hits and five walks. He struck out two batters.

Price pitched four innings and allowed one run on three hits and two walks. He struck out one.

Team members included Caleb Bush, Dylan Faircloth, Hunter Jones, Anthony Lamberson, Trevor Matthews, Griffin Fenn, Garrett Fenn, Arrington, Benefield, Doss, Price, Potthoff and Warren. The team was coached by Maldonado, Josh Jones and Michael Benefield.