By Staff
Brewer's baseball Patriots finished their 2002 season with a win over county rival Falkville and a 17-16 overall record.
"It's nice to finish with four wins," first-year coach Barry Kirby said after wrapping the season. "I think the program has gotten better as the year as progress, but we've got to keep improving. I would like to the program to reach a level where we are thought of as one of the top programs around."
Brewer 13, Falkville 1:
After two scoreless innings, the Patriots jumped on the Falkville pitching for two runs in the third, three in the fourth and four in both the fifth and sixth innings.
The Blue Devils managed to plate a lone run in the sixth to avoid the shutout.
Lee Drinkard got the win for Brewer in a complete game. He struck out 14 and allowed only two hits.
The pitching trio of Jamie Newcomb, Alan Summerford and Clint Stidham struggled to stop the Patriot hit parade with little success.
David Ellis led Brewer with a yard trip, a double and two singles, good for six RBIs. Jerome Haggard doubled twice and ripped three base hits. Matt Carroll had a 2-RBI double, while Brandin Brenner connected for a two-bagger.
Tony Parise, Jared Widner and Ryan Harvey all singled for Brewer.
Summerford and Jason Grandstaff singled for Falkville.
Brewer 5, West Morgan 1:
Defense won the day for the Patriots in their final game of the season.
Despite struggling to get their offense in gear, the Patriots managed to score five runs on eight hits.
The Rebels connected for nine hits, but could plate only one run against the stingy Brewer defense.
West Morgan's Chuck Thorn scored the only Rebel run in the top of the first inning.
The Patriots took the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second and spread their lead with another pair in the fifth and a final run in the sixth.
Matt Carroll picked up the win with seven innings on the mound. He struck out 10, walked one, but gave up nine hits.
Chase Chenault took the loss for West Morgan. He struck out five, but gave up eight hits.
Tony Drinkard and Samuel Mason doubled to lead the Patriot hitting. Jerome Haggard connected for three base hits, while Matt Eslick, Carroll and Brian McCormick singled.
Thorn led the Rebels with a double and two base hits. Preston Potter double, while Chenault hammered two singles.
Chris Davis, Matthew Jones and Adam Owens completed the Rebel hitting with singles.
Brewer 12, Falkville 5:
After yielding a first inning run to the Blue Devils, Brewer claimed the lead with a four-run second inning and never trailed again, despite a pair of rallies by Falkville.
The Blue Devils added pairs in the third and fifth, but Brewer picked up one run in the fourth before salting the game away with seven runs in the bottom of the fifth.
David Ellis got the win in four innings with Eric Callahan picking up the save.
Falkville's Jonathan Lacy got the loss in three innings. Jamie Newcomb and Michael Cocke went relief for Lacy.
Haggard and Tony Drinkard led the Patriot hitting with doubles. Lee Drinkard went 3 for 3 at the plate with base hits. Carroll, Daniel Vinson and Craig Delgado completed the hitting for Brewer.
Alan Summerford got the big hit of the game with a triple.
Lacy and Drew Stinson finished out with doubles, while Cocke, Jason Grandstaff, Daniel Cobb and Ian Thompson singled.
Arab 7, Brewer 2:
With the playoffs out of reach, the Patriots didn't play with much enthusiasm against Area foe Arab.
The game was close until the fourth inning when the Knights picked up a pair of runs to boost their lead to 5-2. Two more runs in the seventh wrote the final margin.
The Knights scored first with a run in the first. They added lone runs in the second and fourth.
Brewer plated lone runs in the second and fourth innings to pull within one run of the Knights by the end of the fourth.
Tony Drinkard took the loss for Brewer in six innings. He struck out five, walked one, but gave up 10 hits. Callahan served up one inning of relief.
Jeff Wagnon got the win for Arab with a complete game.
Brandon Brenner doubled and singled to lead the Brewer hitting. Carroll, Lee Drinkard, and Mason ripped two singles each and Eslick finished with a base hit.
Brewer 3, Arab 1:
The Patriots split with the Knights in a double-header at Arab.
Arab scored first with a run in the second inning, but Brewer tied the score with a run in the top of the third.
The Patriots picked up a pair in the fifth inning and played solid defense to safeguard the lead.
David Ellis struck out 10 Arab batters, while walking one. He gave up seven hits.
The Knights sent three pitchers to the mound with Wagnon taking the loss.
Lee Drinkard ripped three singles to lead the Brewer hitting.
Carroll clipped two, while Haggard and Brenner singled.
Arab 4, Brewer 1:
The Knights won the top half of the double header, scoring what proved to be winning runs in the bottom of the first inning. Arab added single runs in the fourth and sixth, while the Patriots avoided the shutout when Tony Drinkard connected for a solo yard trip in the top of the seventh.
Lee Drinkard took the pitching loss, while Jake Lemons got the win.
Haggard, Lee Drinkard and Jared Widner singled to complete the Brewer hitting.