BAKER — Powered by a seven-run fourth inning, Baker School’s baseball team opened the District 2-1A tournament Monday with a 7-3 win over Chipley.
The Gators (10-16) sent 11 batters to the plate and pounded out all five of their hits in the fourth inning, erasing a 1-0 lead by the Tigers.
Photo gallery>>> Baker baseball team downs Chipley in district tournament.
Adam Crowson got things started with a leadoff single. Alan Weidenhammer and Kyle Davis followed with their own base hits to load the bases.
Cleanup hitter Logan Nixon then delivered a two-run double to score Crowson and courtesy runner Taylor Carlisle.
By the time the Gators were finished, Jacob Nixon and Travis Farmer had walked in front of Josh Long, who drilled a two-run single to score Logan and Jacob Nixon. Farmer's walk scored Davis.
Farmer scored on a squeeze play by Austin Davis, and Long reached home as Crowson was safe on a fielder's choice.
"That's what happens a lot of times in high school baseball," Baker coach Scott Johnson said of the big inning. "When you put in play hard on the ground, good things happen for you.
"That happened for us, but the kids did a great job. Alan bowed his neck for us (on the mound) and Logan and Adam showed some great senior leadership. It was just a great team effort."
Chipley (11-15) scored a run in the third and scored a pair in the seventh.
Weidenhammer went the distance on the mound to pick up the win for the Gators. He gave up five hits and struck out three Chipley batters.
Randy Dickson is the Crestview News Bulletin’s sports editor. Email him at randyd@crestviewbulletin.com, tweet him @BigRandle, or call 682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Baker wins tournament opener (photo gallery)