By Brian Millican | Special to the Advertiser

Chilton County High School split the first two games of a best-of-three second round baseball playoffs series at Hillcrest Tuscaloosa that was delayed by inclement weather.

The first two games were scheduled to be played on Friday, but six innings into the first game, severe weather arrived and delayed the remainder of the game, as well as Game 2, until Saturday.

Just before the weather delay, Chilton County took a 3-2 lead and felt confident in its chances to close the door and win Game 1 when the game resumed on Saturday.

Two of the Tigers’ three runs on Friday came in the top of the first when Giquon Lane hit a bases-loaded single that scored Corbin Bice and Hunter Bennett.

Chilton County plated one more run just before the delay to take a one-run lead.

Tolliver Gilliland started Game 1 of the series on Friday and pitched magnificently.

Due to light soreness in his pitching arm, however, he was unable to take the mound when the game resumed on Saturday.

With Gilliland unable to pitch, coach Ryan Ellison called on senior Cade Hatch.

Hatch and the Tigers’ defense stopped Hillcrest from getting anything going in the bottom of the sixth and found themselves only three outs away from a series-opening win.

In the top of the seventh, Chilton County added five insurance runs, taking a commanding 8-2 lead.

Dustin Cleckler, Dustin Langston, Colby Ramsey, Bennett and Lane all had RBI singles.

The Patriots refused to give in as they tied the game in the bottom of the seventh, collecting five hits and plating six runs.

The Tigers were only three outs from a victory and suddenly found themselves in extra innings. How they responded to the adversity, however, is an example of how they’ve gotten so far this season.

With the game tied at 8-all in the top of the eighth, Chilton County continued to hit the ball well.

Dustin Cleckler broke the tie with a one-out single that scored Bice from third. Lane stepped to the plate next and ripped a double to the left-center wall, scoring Bennett and advancing Cleckler to third.

Langston followed Lane’s double with a single that easily scored Cleckler, and the Tigers had an 11-8 lead.

Chilton County’s 12th and final run of the game came as a result of a wild pitch that scored Lane from third.

Heading into the bottom of the eighth, the Tigers led by four runs.

Hatch only pitched 13 pitches in the bottom of the eighth as he and his defense were able to slam the door on the Patriots and take Game 1 by a final of 12-8.

Lane led the way for the Tigers’ offense as he collected four RBIs on three hits.

Cleckler was 5-for-5 at the plate with five singles and two RBIs.

Hatch was awarded the victory on the mound.

Patriots answer in Game 2

A win in Game 2 would have propelled Chilton County into the third round of the playoffs, but despite taking a 2-0 lead in the third inning, the Tigers just weren’t able to get the job done as they lost, 8-4.

Hillcrest scored single runs in the fifth and sixth to tie the game at 2-all and send the game into extra innings once again.

As the visiting team in Game 2, the Patriots scored six runs in the top of the eighth.

Down by six, Chilton County was only able to plate two runs in the bottom of the inning and lost the game by four runs.

Corbin Bice, Hunter Bennett and Dustin Cleckler each had an RBI in Game 2.

Noah McGhar got the start for the Tigers. He didn’t allow a single earned run in five innings of work, giving him 12 consecutive innings pitched without allowing an earned run.

The Hillcrest win forces Game 3, which will be played in Tuscaloosa on Monday, with first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m.

If Chilton County wins on Monday, the Tigers will host Opelika in Round 3 on Friday.