The Brookhaven Academy Cougars began AA District 3 play with a home and away against Newton County Academy this week, blasting the Generals with 21 runs across both games.

The Generals visited Brookhaven for game one Tuesday night, playing without injured Ole Miss commit Kemp Alderman. They seemed to have a plan early, as hitters were patient in the box, forcing BA junior pitcher Dawson Flowers deep into the count in the top of the first inning. Flowers walked two batters and hit a third to load the bases with two outs.

But a fielder’s choice to shortstop Brady Spring would end any hopes of a two-out rally. That would be the last base runners the Patriots would have until a walk in the sixth inning.

The defensive highlight of the night came in the sixth inning, when Nick Ogden dove for a popup into shallow right and was able to get the ball up to Dawson Zumbro, who threw out a runner at second base to save a no-hitter for Flowers and dash the Generals’ offensive hopes.

Flowers finished the six-inning game with eight strikeouts, three walks and one HBP.

The Cougar bats were a little slow to start, but the third inning solo opposite field blast by sophomore Tanner Watts got the offense started and the Cougar sticks never cooled down. Ogden directed the Cougar offense with three hits, including three RBIs. Senior O’Neill Burgos also went long with a two-run leftfield bomb in the fourth inning.

Flowers, Brady Spring and Tucker Watts all doubled and singled, while Zumbro doubled. A bases-loaded ground ball by Senior Taylor Freeny plated Flowers for the final walk-off run of the sixth inning to end the game with a mercy rule final score of 10-0.

On Thursday the Cougars traveled to Decatur to square off for their second district game of the series and came away with an 11-1 victory.

Tanner Watts went the distance for the Cougars on the mound, recording six hits, four strikeouts and a single earned run. The Cougars bats were still working overtime, as they rattled off 10 hits in five innings.

Leading the onslaught of hitting was Zumbro and Levi Smith, both with a double and a single. Burgos, Tucker Watts, Flowers, Ogden, Freeny and Tanner Watts all had hits on the evening.

The Cougars (10-5) are back in action today at home against Hartfield Academy. Junior varsity begins at 11 a.m., varsity starts at 1 p.m. and junior high starts at 3 p.m.

Story by Becky Flowers, BA softball coach