Hayden Murray tossed his second shutout of the season for Red Bay on Tuesday, and Skylar Brazil drove in four runs to help the Tigers move closer to earning a playoff spot with a 10-0 win over Lamar County.
Red Bay (13-9 overall, 2-2 in Class 2A, Area 14) can clinch a postseason berth with another win over the Bulldogs in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader in Vernon. If Lamar County wins that game, the Tigers could still make the playoffs by winning Thursday's second game and then beating Sulligent on Friday in an area game postponed from last week by wet weather.
Murray (6-2) breezed through five innings Tuesday on just 57 pitches, 42 of which were strikes. The senior righthander threw his fourth complete game, holding Lamar County to just two hits while striking out four and walking one.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth, when Red Bay broke through with five runs. Murray sparked the rally with a single, and Chase Allen drew a walk. Kaleb Bragwell singled to load the bases, and one out later Colbie King put the Tigers on top 1-0 with a base hit to left. A bases-loaded walk to Max Bullen forced in another run, and then Brazil delivered a two-out, three-run double to center to make it 5-0.
Red Bay ended the game with five more runs in the bottom of the fifth, loading the bases on walks to Murray and Bragwell sandwiched around a single by Allen. Luke Rooker's RBI single made it 6-0, and Max Bullen drove in a run with a base hit. Alex Burroughs came through with a two-run double to center, and then Brazil brought home the 10th and final run with an RBI single to left.
Brazil finished 3-for-4, and Burroughs was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Allen, Bullen and Kaleb Bragwell each went 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored. Cade McKinney stole a base and scored twice.
