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The Montevallo Bulldogs improved to 10-1 on the season with a big win over the Calera Eagles on Thursday, March 12. (For the Reporter/Larry Dancy)

By SETH HAGAN | Special to the Reporter

CALERA – The Montevallo Bulldogs built a big lead by the third inning and let the defense take over from there, as they upended rival Calera Thursday, March 12, by a score of 8-4 to improve to 10-1 on the season.

Three Bulldogs ended up with multiple hits led by Josh Mims, who also tossed 10 strikeouts on the mound in the road win.

The Eagles drew first blood in the bottom of the first inning. Mims struggled to get his rhythm initially and gave up a couple of runs after a lead-off double from Alijah Franklin and three more walks in the inning.

A strikeout with two outs and the bases loaded saved Montevallo from potential disaster early in the game.

The Bulldogs got a run back in the next inning, as they loaded the bases and scored on a fielder’s choice double play to cut the deficit in half at 2-1.

After a 1-2-3 second inning, Mims and the Bulldogs broke out the big sticks in the top of the third. His triple brought home Blaine Carstensen after a lead-off double then home runs from Malik Inabinette and Grant Cordes blew open the lead for Montevallo with no outs.

Three straight outs followed, but the damage was done with the Bulldogs now leading 6-2.

Two errors from the Montevallo defense let Calera back in the game after the Eagles popped up and struck out to begin the inning. Sam Oddo and Gay’s singles sandwiched the errors scoring Noah Clayton and Connor Odom to bring the score to 6-4.

The next two innings went scoreless, as Mims struck out four in that span, but the Bulldogs still had a little has left in the tank. Baxley Shores singled, Jay Dreyer was hit by a pitch, and with two outs, Mims sent Shores home for a 7-4 lead. Inabinette added two RBIs after going 1-for-4 with a run scored.

Mims then struck out two of his last three batters to finish with two hits, two RBIs and a run offensively, while allowing six hits and two earned runs in six innings on the mound.

Cordes also had two hits, two RBIs and two runs, while Shores hit twice, had one RBI and scored once.

Oddo led Calera with a 2-for-4 game.

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