By By Tim Cottrell
The Escambia County Blue Devils continued a tough stretch of the season Tuesday afternoon, losing a 6-0 decision in Flomaton.
The Hurricanes scored five runs in the third inning and one in the sixth to provide the winning margin.
The loss was the sixth straight for the Blue Devils.
Coach Keith Nall was not available for comment after the game due to traveling to Lake Martin for vacation. Stats were also unavailable. The Blue Devils will take on T.R. Miller Tuesday in Flomaton in a double-header.
The first game starts at 4:30.
Jay 6
Northview 5
Errors proved costly for the Chiefs of Northview, and a late rally was not enough to snap the Chief losing streak Tuesday night in a home district matchup with Jay, which now stands at four games. The Chiefs have lost six of the last seven games.
The Royals of Jay lead 6-1 going into the bottom of the seventh inning before the Chiefs scored four runs to get back in the game. The game ended with the bases full of Northview players.
Northview's line had great symmetry, five runs, five hits, and five costly errors.
Greg Steadham took the loss at pitcher for the Chiefs, going the distance and allowing six runs, three of which were earned. Steadham struck out four, allowed six hits, and walked 3.
Leading hitters for the Chiefs were Nick Angeles, who was 0-for-1 and reached on an error and scored; Jordan Cook, 2-for-4 with one RBI and one stolen base; J.J. Cutler, 0-for-1 with a run scored and one stolen base, two walks and a hit-by-pitch; Sean Little, 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored and two stolen bases; Matt Reynolds, 0-for-3 with an RBI after forcing in a run with a walk; and Brandon Walker, 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Chiefs skipper Chris Paulsen said the team was working on its fielding.
"The only thing we really can do (to make it better) is to keep getting repetitions in practice," Paulsen said. "We're working hard at getting better. Our pitching has kept us in a lot of ball games, and if the fielding comes around we'll be all right."
Paulsen said his players were not losing focus.
"The kids really understand that the big thing is the district tournament," he said. "You're not out of it until you lose there. We won the district tournament at 10-16 last year. We can do it again."