Tigers win three in Pizza Pro Classic
By Charlie Anderson Contributing Writer

PHOTO BY JOHNNY AUTERY Daniel Rogers throws a pitch for Thomasville at the Pizza Pro Classic.

The Thomasville High School varsity baseball team picked up three wins in the annual Pizza Pro Classic held here in Thomasville this past week, but saw its much anticipated match-up with the UMSWright Bulldogs fall victim to the rain. After defeating the Sweet Water Bulldogs 20 - 10 in the first game of the tournament on Thursday, March 27, the Tigers picked up a 2 - 0 forfeit from the St. Jude Pirates and edged the Greenville Tigers 11 - 10 in their two games scheduled for Friday, March 28. The forfeit from the Montgomery based Pirates came about after the school's Athletic Director instructed the team coached by Thomasville native Ashley Allen to return to the Capital City before playing the Tigers. The only reason given for the decision by the AD was the lateness that the team would be arriving back home. The match-up with UMS-Wright was scheduled to be the last game in the tournament but the Saturday afternoon thunderstorm arrived just before the game got underway, rendering the playing surface unplayable.

In the Tigers' win over traditional rival Sweet Water, Rob Anderson picked up his third win of the season on the mound. Entering the game in the third inning, he allowed five runs on four hits while striking out three in four innings of work to pick up the win. Anderson relieved starter Daniel Rogers, who allowed five runs on three hits, three walks, and one hit batsman in two innings of work. At the plate the Tigers pounded out 15 hits led by Paul Noble's three hit performance. Right behind Noble with two hits each were; Reeves Bozeman, Alex Buford, Dylan Digmon and Jamie Morgan. Others joining the hit parade with one hit apiece included Jon Harrison, Shaq Jackson, Tevin Pope and Kenny Sanders. In the extra-base hit category Buford blasted his first homerun of the season and a double while Morgan and Noble each had a triple and Digmon had a double. Buford was the RBI leader with three followed by Bozeman, Harrison, Morgan, Noble and Sanders with two each and Digmon and Shaq Jackson with one apiece.

The win over Greenville was hard fought with the lead changing hands three times during the course of the game. Mallan Sheffield, the second of three pitchers used during the game, was credited with the win. In 2 2/3 innings he allowed two runs on three hits and one walk while striking out two. Sheffield followed starter Jamie Morgan, who allowed eight runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out five in 3 1/3 innings. Reeves Bozeman closed the game striking out all three batters he faced in the final inning to pick up a save. On offense Thomasville was able to parlay nine hits into their 11 runs. Jon Harrison had the hot stick for the host Tigers connecting on three hits. Reeves Bozeman was next with two hits while Rob Anderson, Shaq Jackson, Paul Noble and Tevin Pope all had one hit. In the extra-base hit category Harrison led the way with two doubles while Bozeman had one two bagger. Harrison also led the RBI chase with two followed by Anderson, Bozeman, Noble and Pope with one apiece.

In the other games played during the tournament, Sweet Water defeated Greenville 14 - 9 and St. Jude 16 - 6 but lost to UMS-Wright 17 - 14. In addition to Sweet Water, UMSWright defeated Greenville 13 - 3 but lost to Leroy 5 - 4. Leroy also defeated Greenville 9 - 0 in a game shortened to six innings because of Saturday's rain.

Earlier in the week the Tiger varsity defeated the Washington County Bulldogs 14 - 4 in a game played in Chatom on Monday, March 24. Alex Buford picked up the win on the mound for Thomasville, evening his season mark at 1 - 1. In 4 1/3 innings he allowed four runs on seven hits, two walks, and two hit batsmen while striking out two. Mallan Sheffield pitched the final 2/3 inning of the five inning contest. Over on offense Reeves Bozeman and Jon Harrison led the charge for the Tigers with two hits each while Rob Anderson, Jamie Morgan, Tevin Pope and Kenny Sanders had one hit apiece. In the extrabase hit category Bozeman and Morgan both had round trippers and Sanders had a double. Sanders was the RBI leader with three followed by Bozeman, Dylan Digmon, Harrison and Morgan with one each.

With their season mark now at 12 - 8 the Tigers were scheduled to host Demopolis on Monday, March 31 in a junior varsity - varsity doubleheader followed by area matchups with Jackson on Thursday, April 3 and Friday, April 4. Thursday's action involves a junior varsity - varsity double header to be played in Jackson while Friday will have the varsity squads from the two incounty rivals playing a double header in Thomasville. Starting times for all three twin bills was set for 4:00 PM.

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