AUGUSTA – Normally, when Nova Seafood takes a six-run lead early in the game, its opponent can start to pack the equipment.

Tuesday was anything but normal at McGuire Field.

Andrews erupted for four runs on three home runs in the third inning and continued to batter Nova pitching throughout the remainder of the game, pouncing on the twice-defeated Zone IV champions for 14

runs and hanging on to a 14-12 win.

Andrews is the only undefeated team left in the tournament.

“After getting down that many that early with fielding mistakes and coverage errors, we were embarassed,” said Andrews coach Mike Rutherford. “We could have done one of two things there. We could have folded, taken the loss and played for tomorrow, or we could have done what we did and take the next seven innings to regroup and come back.”

Andrew Koocher hit the first of his two home runs after a Malcom Cone-Coleman walk to pull Andrews within four after Nova tallied six runs on six hits in the bottom of the second.

Ryan Baker followed with a solo shot, and two outs later, Mike D’Andrea went yard to pull Andrews within two.

Nova surrendered seven more runs over the next two innings and dug itself an 11-6 hole before chipping away, getting one run back in each the fifth and sixth inning.

Andrews again stretched the lead, scoring three more in the seventh to take a 14-8 lead, but again Nova fought back.

“We know that they are a great team,” said Rutherford. “We’ve played then seven times this year and have a 4-3 edge over them. It just shows how strong both of these ballclubs are.”

Facing a new pitcher, Nova secured four more runs in the bottom of the seventh to pull to within two at 14-12.

In that inning, Ryan Reid walked to lead off batter on four pitches. Two batters later, Jeff Skillin reached after getting hit by a pitch, and Andrew Dvlinsky followed with a single to drive Reid home. After a sacrifice fly brought Skillin home, Donny Drake pounded a home run to the power alley in left to finish the scoring in the seventh.

Neither team could score in the final two innings.

Andrews will square off against Bessey Motors at 4 p.m. Wednesday, while Nova will face Monmouth at noon.

jpelletier@sunjournal.com

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