Special to the MESSENGER

CLANTON – The Chilton County Tigers scored the game-winning run with two out in the bottom of the seventh inning to take a 4-3 victory over Charles Henderson on Saturday and advance to the next round in the state playoffs.

"You’ve got to give the kids all the credit," CCHS coach Kenny Wright said. "They are the ones who pulled this off. I’m just happy for them. It’s been a long dry spell and we have a senior team."

The Tigers will now play at Citronelle on Friday in a best 2-of-3 series.

Henderson scored the first run of the game, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Will Jones reached on an error, and Scott Stetson singled. Justin Sims singled, which scored Jones.

Henderson made it 2-0 in the top of the second. Kevin Stephens singled and scored on Pete Van Horn’s double.

The Tigers got one run back in the bottom of the second.

James Gambrell singled and scored when Ty Littlejohn doubled.

The Tigers went ahead 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth. C. J. Robinson reached on an error, and Gambrell singled. Both scored when Littlejohn doubled.

Tiger starter Scott Smitherman nestled into a groove at that point, and appeared on his way to getting the win, but Henderson had other ideas and scored the tying run in the top of the seventh.

Sims doubled and scored on Jason Barron’s single.

Wright took Smitherman out then, and put in Gambrell who was able to get the side out without allowing any more runs.

In the Tiger seventh, both Greg Rogers and Chase Stewart reached base on a errors by the shortstop, who proceeded to throw the ball in the dirt, allowing Rogers to score the game-winning run.

Gambrell was the winning pitcher.

The Trojans end the season with a 19-9 record.