In the final two games of the season for both, the Austin High baseball team closed out its 2008 campaign Thursday with a pair of wins over crosstown rival Decatur. The Black Bears claimed the opener with a 4-2 win and won 15-10 in the second game.

Both teams failed to make the state playoffs.

In the first game, Austin senior Scott Peyton stood tall on the mound to pick up the win. Peyton relieved starting pitcher Ben Bullard in the top of the third inning. In his five-inning stint, Peyton gave up three hits while striking out one and walking none.

Austin finished the season with a 24-13 record while Decatur fell to 13-20.

Austin coach Jake Miles had praise for his winning pitcher.

“Guts — pure guts,” Miles said of Peyton’s performance. “He’s a competitor and a winner. He showed tonight just how much we’re going to miss him next year.”

Austin trailed 2-0 before cutting Decatur’s lead in half in the bottom of the second inning.

The Black Bears pushed two runs across the plate in the fourth inning while scoring one in the fifth to account for the scoring and the victory.

In the bottom of the second, Austin’s Carson Minton reached on a fielder’s choice and scored on a double to left-center field by Alex McCay.

In the fourth inning for Austin, Corey Jackson singled to right before scoring on a double to left by Matthew Frazier. After reaching third base on a fielder’s choice, Frazier scored on a sacrifice fly.

Austin’s final run came in the fifth inning as Trey Richard reached base after being hit by a pitch before scoring on a double by Jackson.

Jackson’s double and single led Austin’s hitting. Also ripping doubles were Russ Sandlin, Peyton, Frazier and McCay.

John Frost led Decatur at the plate with a double and a single. William Sartain and Pete Brown also had a double each. Graham Spencer finished with two singles with Tyler Spivey, Hunter Netherton and Justin Emberton getting a single each.

Austin 15, Decatur 10: The first two innings found both teams running wide open. Decatur led 3-1 at the end of the first inning before driving in five runs in the second, capped by a grand slam.

The Black Bears retaliated with an offensive charge of their own in the bottom of the second inning. Austin scored eight runs for a 9-8 lead heading into the third inning.

Spencer and Frost reached on a base on balls for Decatur in the first inning before scoring on a double by Dennis. Dennis picked up the Red Raiders’ third run, scoring on an error.

In Austin’s first at-bat, Mathew Tittle walked and scored on a double by Sandlin.

Decatur’s five runs in the second inning came as Grant Tidwell singled, moving to second after Spencer reached first on an error. Frost doubled to score Tidwell before Will Dennis loaded the bases on a walk. John Alexander then ripped a grand slam over the fence in right field for an 8-1 lead.

In the bottom of the second inning for the Black Bears, McCay and Richard walked with both scoring on Tittle’s single. Tittle scored after Sandlin and Jackson hit singles before Frazier received walked. Richards, Carson Minton and McCay each followed with singles to account for the remaining runs.

Austin scored one run in the third inning before pushing two runs across the plate in the fifth inning, adding three more in the sixth for a 15-8 advantage.

Decatur managed two runs in the top of the seventh inning, but it wasn’t enough to keep the Black Bears from claiming the bragging rights until next season.

Alexander’s homer led Decatur’s offensive attack. Frost and Dennis had doubles with Adam Ferguson, Emberton, Tidwell and Sam Albert hitting a single each.

Tittle had two doubles and two singles to lead Austin at the plate. Sandlin had a double and two singles with Jackson, Aaron Richards and McCay pounding out two singles each. Carson Minton finished the game with a single.

Austin senior Jake Morgan pitched 6 2/3 innings to secure the win. Morgan struck out five Decatur batters.

“This means basically everything for me,” Morgan said. “We didn’t make the playoffs but we beat our rival. It’s the greatest feeling in the world getting to pitch the last game and getting the victory.”

Netherton, Josh Freeman and Emberton all pitched for Decatur.

Miles summed up his feelings about Austin’s team with two words.

“Total unselfishness,” Miles said. “There in the second game, Morgan keeps on fighting while the rest of the team keeps chipping away. This season we had an average team doing above average things. And, they were successful because of total unselfishness.
I just can’t stress that enough.”