Phenix City, AL- The highly anticipated matchup between 6A #4 Russell County and 7A Central- Phenix City definitely lived up to the hype. The game was dominated by both starting pitchers as the outcome was in doubt until the last pitch as the homestanding Devils held on to defeat the Warriors 2-1.

Central- Phenix City sent their ace, 2021 RHP Will Cannon (#55), to the mound and the Georgia State signee did not disappoint. Cannon went 5 innings and only allowed 2 hits and 1 earned run while striking out 7 and issuing 4 walks. Russell County countered with 2022 RHP Landon Russell (#1). The junior tossed 6 innings and only allowed 4 hits and 2 earned runs. The Auburn commit struck out 8 Devil hitters and walked 4 as well.

Russell County threatened in the home half of the first as sophomore 2B Lane Griggs led off the game with a single and was followed by another single off the bat of another sophomore, SS Jaxon Milam. Cannon then induced a groundball double play and Milam was later thrown out trying to take 3B on a ball in the dirt. After a leadoff walk in the bottom half of the first inning, Russell then retired the next three batters he faced. The Devils were able to push across 2 runs in the bottom half of the 4^th an inning as senior 2B Cole Kehoe led the inning off with a double down the left field line but was later cut down at 3B. Cannon reached on the fielder’s choice and would later come around to score on a double from senior C Garrett Keyt. With 2 outs in the inning, junior OF Bryce Sanders would drive in the eventual deciding run to give the Devils a 2-0 lead.

Things got interesting in the 6^th inning as Griggs walked to lead off the Warrior half of the inning and Milam collected his second hit of the day. That would be the end of the night for Cannon as Brodie Farrow came out of the bullpen but walked the first two hitters he faced which forced another change on the mound. Senior Zion Morris would enter with bases loaded and no outs and after a passed ball allowed Griggs to score and cut the lead to one run, Morris got out of the jam without further damage. The big play was a flyball to rightfield that Sanders caught and threw a frozen rope to the plate to cut down Milam for out number two. Morris got the final out of the inning via strikeout. Russell then sat the Devils down in order in the home half of the sixth, setting the stage for the exciting 7^th inning. Two walks put runners on 1^st and 2^nd with 2 outs with the always dangerous Milam at the plate. Morris got Milam to fly out to leftfield and finish off the 2-1 Devil victory.

 

Top Performers- Central-Phenix City

RHP Will Cannon – 5 IP (W), 2 hits allowed, 1 earned run, 7 K’s, 4 BB’s

RHP Zion Morris – 2 IP (S), 0 hits allowed, 0 runs, 2 K’s, 3 BB’s

SS Caleb Johnson – 1-3, 1 BB, 1 SB

2B Cole Kehoe – 1-3, 1 2B

C Garrett Keyt – 1-2, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB

OF Bryce Sanders – 1-2, 1 RBI, key defensive play in the 6th

 

Top Performers- Russell County

RHP Landon Russell – 6 IP, 4 hits allowed, 2 earned runs, 8 K’s, 4 BB’s

SS Jaxon Milam – 2-4

2B Lane Griggs – 1-1, 1 run scored, 2 BB’s

 

Central-Phenix City (3-0) will play GW Long and Dothan on Saturday, February 20 while Russell County falls to 3-1 and will play Oak Mountain and Chelsea on Saturday. 

 

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