For the first time since 2020, Alabama Christian (3-3) won all three of its games in the Jason Armstrong FCA tournament. Friday night’s victory was a thriller as the Eagles overcame a two run deficit and won the game in the seventh, 4-3.
Providence Christian struck first as they pushed across a run in the opening inning with two walks and a single for a 1-0 lead. After struggling with his control in the first, Cam Sutton got just what the doctor ordered in the second as he retired the side in order on just six pitches. The score remained the same until the bottom of the third. Levi Summers started the inning with an infield single deep in the hole at short. Ethan Dabney sacrificed him to second for the first out of the frame. With two outs, Alex Heilman (fast becoming one of the most consistent bats in the lineup) delivered a single to right scoring Summers to tie the score.
The Eagles from Dothan put runners at second and third with no outs to start the fourth. Cam Sutton got the next two batters out and it looked as if ACA would escape unscathed, but a wild pitch allowed Providence to score and retake the lead, 2-1. They added a third run in the fifth for a two run lead. In the bottom half, Levi Summers led off with a walk followed by an Ethan Dabney line drive triple that tailed away from the right fielder as he made a diving effort. Summers scored to cut the Providence lead to one run. Alex Heilman delivered again as he singled to right, scoring Dabney, to tie the game, 3-3. Neither team scored in the sixth and Teilan Long came in for ACA to pitch the seventh in relief of Sutton. Long navigated the top of the opponent’s lineup only giving up a one-out walk.
Ethan Dabney led off the seventh with a four-pitch walk. With one out, Alex Heilman walked which forced a pitching change for Providence. The pitching style went from a hard throwing lefty to a right handed soft tosser, but the result was the same. Jackson Burton walked to load the bases with one out. Teilan Long came to the plate with a chance to give himself his first pitching decision of his varsity career. On a 1-0 pitch the freshman hit a hard ground ball into left field for the win.
Although he did not factor in the decision, Cam Sutton pitched a gutsy six innings with four strikeouts. Teilan Long picked up the win with his relief work in the seventh. Alex Heliman led the hitters with a 2 for 3 night with a walk and two runs driven in. Jackson Burton, Ethan Dabney, Teilan Long, and Levi Summers each had one hit in the game. Dabney and Summers combined to score all four of the team’s runs, each scoring twice.