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By Andrew Garner

The Atmore Advance

Lowndes Academy shut out Escambia Academy’s varsity baseball team 2-0 (12-10, 11-1) in the Alabama Independent School Association (AISA) Class 1A Final Four matchup May 1.

The defending state champions Rebels erased a 10-3 Cougars lead in the top of the seventh inning with nine runs in the night cap; and pulled away for good late in the opening game to force a run rule.

With the sweep, Lowndes advances to the Final Two state tournament in Montgomery at Paterson Field May 7-8. Escambia finished its season 17-11.

Lowndes Academy 12, Escambia Academy 10

The Rebels scored all of their runs in the seventh with two outs.

Lowndes Academy’s Dominic Dougan hit a three-run homerun to center field; Grant Casey scored on an RBI double from Braydn Stokes; Jase Howard and Stokes scored on an error; and Cooper Carver scored on a Cooper Dansby RBI triple in the seventh.

Trailing 3-1 going into the bottom of the sixth inning, the Cougars scored nine runs to take a big lead.

Escambia’s AJ Bennett scored on an error; Traegan James scored on a Cameron Bryan single for the tie; Carson Wilson and Bryan scored on a single by Luke Bell; Griffin Davison and Quinton Odom scored on a Bennett single; Isaac Radcliff and Bennett scored on a double from James and James scored on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the sixth inning.

James and Bennett went 3-for-4 each with two RBIs and two runs; Bell went 2-for-5 with three RBIs; and Bryan went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs. Wilson added a 1-for-3 night with an RBI and a run.

Escambia’s Charlie Sasser took the loss, giving up eight earned runs on eight hits in 6.2 innings. He walked seven.

Howard and Stokes had two hits each. Stokes added two RBIs.

Dansby struck out five and allowed three earned runs on seven hits in 5.0 innings to earn the win on the mound for the Rebels.

Lowndes took its 3-1 lead in the top of the sixth when Stokes scored on an error. Dansby later scored on an error.

Lowndes Academy 11, Escambia Academy 1 (6 innings)

The Rebels scored one run each in the third and fourth innings, four runs in the fifth and five runs in the sixth.

Bell went 2-for-3 to lead the Cougars.

Lane Milstead took the loss, allowing four earned runs on three hits and striking out three.

Dansby, Carver and Ashton Yelder had one hit each. Yelder belted a solo homerun in the fourth.