Solid start: Ozone Rookies get solid hitting and pitching in 10-0 win over East Tuscaloosa in Oxford

Published 3:00 am Friday, July 8, 2016

Photo/dan smith The Troy Ozone Rookie team got their state tournament off to a good start when they defeated East Tuscaloosa 10-0 on Thursday evening. Troy will be back in action this evening when they battle rival Enterprise at 7 p.m.

Photo/dan smith
The Troy Ozone Rookie team got their state tournament off to a good start when they defeated East Tuscaloosa 10-0 on Thursday evening. Troy will be back in action this evening when they battle rival Enterprise at 7 p.m.

Troy scored six runs in the first inning en route to a 10-0 win over first inning runs en route to a dominating 10-0 win over East Tuscaloosa in the opening round of the Ozone Rookie State Tournament on Thursday.

“It was a great start,” said Ozone head coach Chris Huner. “I don’t know if we could have played any better. We hit the ball well and we threw strikes. A 10-0 lead after four innings is probably the best you can hope for.”

Brady Huner and Mario Davenport combined to shut out East Tuscaloosa. Huner got the start and pitched the first two innings. He allowed one hit and one walk while striking out two. Davenport pitched the game’s final two innings and allowed one hit two walks while striking out four.

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“Brady pitched the first two and got us some ground ball outs,” Huner said. “We made the plays in the field. Mario came in and picked up where Brady left off and threw strikes. Brady and Marion did very well.”

Troy finished with nine hits in the game. Jeff Warrick, Connor Thrash and K.C. Bradford had two hits each.

Troy scored six early runs in the first inning on six hits, thanks in part to a three-run homerun by Davenport. Bryce Betts drove in the fourth run of the inning when he singled in Payne Jefocat and later score on a passed ball. Wilson drove in the final run of the inning when he singled in Brady Barron.

Troy tacked another run in the third when Kase Chirico scored on a groundout by Jefcoat.

Troy ended the game in the fourth with three runs. Barron stole home for the inning’s first run, and then Warrick hit a two-run double to score Wilson and Bradford.

Troy advances into the winner’s bracket and will play Enterprise at 7 p.m. today.