J.R. Tidwell/FCT
Phil Campbell’s Gage Roberson (18) races home after a pitch from Red Bay’s Austin Thorn (14) went wide of the catcher. Unfortunately a fence jumped in front of the shot at the last second, hence the lines.

PHIL CAMPBELL — Despite the cold winter-like temperatures and snow flurries throughout, the Phil Campbell Bobcats defeated area and county rival red Bay 11-1 in five innings Monday at the new sportsplex in Phil Campbell.

The game remained close for much of the contest as both starting pitchers, Red Bay’s Austin Thorn and Phil Campbell’s Colton Vickery, threw good games.

“We got a couple of hits, a couple of walks and we got a couple of hits to fall in the field,” Phil Campbell head coach Jonathan Raper said.

“We got the ball in play today and our pitcher [Vickery] didn’t do a bad job even though he took a lick at the beginning.”

Vickery had the very first pitch of the contest hit right at him.

The junior still grabbed the ball and threw the runner out at first despite being hit by the ball.

Later in the inning Red Bay took a 1-0 lead when Austin Milam brought in Nick Thorn on an RBI single to right center field.

This would prove to be the Tigers only lead (and only run) of the contest, though.

It did not take long for Phil Campbell to answer Red Bay’s run, as the Bobcats went up 4-1 in the bottom of the inning.

Craig Saint got things started with an RBI double down the right field line that brought in Cameron Harris.

First baseman Gage Roberson later stole home on a wild pitch, and Justin Knight and Jamie Dorroh both brought in runs on ground balls that ended up as errors.

Between the cold weather and the pitching performances of Vickery and Thorn the two teams went scoreless for the next three innings.

The snow fell off and on throughout the game, and once at a moderate level.

Despite the conditions the players and coaches soldiered on.

Until the bottom of the fifth inning, that is.

That was when the bats for Phil Campbell began ringing with the sound of hit after hit.

Roberson started the inning off with a RBI single that brought in Harris.

Matt Moses followed with a RBIsingle to right center that brought Roberson in.

Colton Baker set up another run with a deep fly ball to right field that would allow the runner on third base to tag up, but an E9 allowed the run to come in without picking up an out.

Things continued to go the Bobcats’ way as Dorroh walked with the bases loaded. Skylar Tackett then put down a textbook bunt for an RBI single.

Harris brought in yet another run on a fielder’s choice and Dorroh stole home plate on  wild pitch.

There was a small amount of confusion after Dorroh crossed home plate, but it was eventually realized that the final run made it 11-1, and as it was the bottom of the fifth, the game ended by run rule.

“We’re young,” Red Bay head coach Donnie Hastings said. “Our older guys are putting the ball in play but our younger guys are having trouble. Our defense let us down today.”

Thorn ended the day with nine strikeouts for Red Bay compared to Vickery’s five for Phil Campbell.

“It’s always good to get an area win, and we’re 1-0 now,” Raper said.