ACCS Rebels tee off on BA pitching; tie series

Published 5:00 am Friday, May 5, 2006

Powered by Southern Miss signee Timmy Foster, the Adams CountyChristian School Rebels teed off on Brookhaven Academy pitchingThursday night. A large crowd, estimated at 600, watched Fosterhomer, double and single in leading the Rebels to a 12-2 trouncingof the host Cougars in Game 2 of the South State AA series.

The 5-inning victory granted the Rebels (23-5) a deadlock in thebest-of-three series. The decisive game will be played tonight inNatchez, starting at 6 p.m. The Cougars (22-3) had won Tuesday’sopener 5-1 at Natchez.

“We didn’t’ swing at very good pitches Tuesday night,” explainedACCS coach Ron Rushing. His Rebels collected 9 hits last night offof four BA pitchers, including 5 doubles.

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“Our kids were more focused tonight,” said Rushing. “We haveseen good pitching this year.”

BA starting pitcher Corey Dickerson couldn’t get his curveballworking. Instead he relied on his fastball and the Rebels teedoff.

In the first inning, Foster sliced an RBI double to right whichgrazed the glove of Steven Covington. C.J. Wright followed with adouble off the 16-foot high center field fence and it was 2-0.

In the second, Cole Bradford lashed a 2-RBI double down the leftfield line and the ball rolled all the way to the corner, making it4-0. Foster’s RBI single made it 5-0. Matt Barnes hit a sharpsingle to left and it was 7-zip.

“Our kids know what they are capable of doing,” said Rushing,who is in his first year at the helm after 3 years as an assistantcoach. He moved to ACCS from Brookhaven Academy.

“Brookhaven played well at our place,” Rushing pointed out.”Coach (Stephen) Cooksey does a great job coaching them.”

Rushing praised sophomore pitcher Brian Sanderson who limitedthe Cougars to just 5 hits. Sanderson, using a sidearm/submarinedelivery, struck out 2 batters and walked 2.

“Brian started throwing like that back around Christmas and Itold him to stick with it,” said Rushing. “He beat one of the besthitting teams we’ve seen tonight.”

The Cougars were down 11-0 in the fourth. In the third, Fosterhad launched a 2-run homer over the center field wall, just to theright of the flag pole.

BA’s bats came to life in the bottom of the fourth whenDickerson smashed a solo homer over the center field fence, 350feet from home plate. Seth Davis followed with a single and KolbyByrd provided an RBI single, reducing the deficit to 11-2.

Ben McKinney, the fourth pitcher to test the Rebels, issued 10straight balls to start the fifth. Bradford singled up the middleto load the bases. Wright was hit by a pitch and ACCS led 12-2,evoking the 10-run rule after the Cougars batted in the fifth.