The Montverde Academy baseball team defeated Cullman High School 3-2 in eight innings in the Eagles' first game of the Alabama Showdown this weekend. MVA is now 4-1 on the season.
The game was scoreless going into the top of the seventh before Cullman scored the first run of the game to take a 1-0 lead. The Eagles countered with a run of their own to tie the score. A sacrifice fly by Anthony Cole scored Eric Correa made the score 1-1 and send the game into extras.
In the top of the eighth, Cullman took another one run lead and led 2-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth. In the bottom of the eighth, the Eagles scored on a ground out by Victor Martinez that scored Edwin Garriga. Then a hard line drive off the bat of Salvador Alvarez scored AJ Goytia, the winning run.
Brian Ehrlich picked up the win in relief, going 3.0 innings and allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits. He improved to 2-1 on the season. Matthew Heyl and Oscar Hernandez also saw action and combined for 5.0 innings of shutout baseball. Heyl pitched 2.0 innings and allowed no runs on one hit, while Hernandez pitched 3.0 innings and allowed no runs on two hits.
Day two of the Alabama Shootout continues on Friday. The Eagles will play two games with the first game being against Park View High School (GA) at 4:30 pm ET.