By Bart Moss / For the FCT

The Belgreen Bulldogs and the Red Bay Tigers were eliminated from the baseball playoffs Friday. Both teams were swept by their respective opponents – Shoals Christian and Section.

The Belgreen Bulldogs made their first playoff appearance in 20 years. The Bulldogs couldn’t have asked for a better start to the series.

Belgreen scored six runs in the top of the first inning of game, one sparked by five straight hits, including a two-RBI triple by Payton Scott. Jacob Mayberry, Seth Taylor, Mason Donahoe, Jake Taylor and Scott all reached base safely and scored.

Gavin Taylor also scored in the first for Belgreen. Kolby Collins singled in a run, as well.

The excitement, however, was short-lived, as Shoals Christian equaled Belgreen’s first inning output, scoring six runs in the bottom half of the inning and ten more runs to defeat the Bulldogs 16-6 in game one.

After the first inning, the Bulldogs’ bats went scoreless and only generated four hits.

Game two wasn’t much better for Belgreen. The Bulldogs were held to just two hits and one run. Scott scored after reaching on a base on balls to lead off the second inning, giving Belgreen another brief lead, but Shoals Christian went on to score 15 unanswered runs for the easy win.

Red Bay traveled to northeast Alabama to take on Section. The Tigers lost game one in heartbreaking fashion. With the game tied 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Section won the game on a walk-off hit to centerfield, winning 6-5.

Hayden Murray went the distance in the loss for the Tigers.

In game two, the Tigers found themselves in a big hole, trailing 9-0 after five innings. The Tigers were not going to go down without a fight, however. Red Bay scored seven runs to cut Section’s lead to 9-7 in the seventh inning.

Section held off the Red Bay comeback, scoring three more runs to win 12-7, ending the Tigers’ season.