By Brian Millican | Special to the Advertiser

In the first-round of the state playoffs, Chilton County split a pair of games against Park Crossing at historic Paterson Field in Montgomery on Friday.

The Tigers finished second in their area but the hour-long bus ride did not seem to hinder the team in Game 1.

With two runs in the first, two in the second, nine in the fourth and another in the fifth, Chilton County was able to dominate and win 14-3 in five innings.

Cade Hatch scored the first run of the game in the top of the first when he raced home from third on a passed ball.

Giquon Lane later stepped to the plate and laid down a perfect squeeze bunt that plated Corbin Bice.

The Thunderbirds were able to score a run in the bottom of the inning and after one, the Tigers led 2-1.

In the top of the second, Hunter Bennett drove Bice home with one of his three triples in the game, increasing the Tiger lead to 4-1.

Chilton County continued to score at will in the top of the fourth as Bennett’s second triple of the game scored Hatch and Bice.

Dustin Cleckler hit a sacrifice fly that drove in Bennett from third and Lane was able to score the Tigers’ eighth run when he came home on a wild pitch.

Still in the fourth, Tolliver Gilliland drove in Dustin Langston, Hatch singled in Colby Ramsey, and Bennett’s third triple of the game scored Hatch and Bice once again.

After four innings, the Tigers led 13-2.

Ramsey drove home the 14th and final run for the Tigers with a sacrifice fly in the top of the 5th that scored Langston from third.

Park Crossing scored their third run in the bottom of the 5th, but the 10-run rule was enforced and the Tigers won Game 1 of the series.

Gilliland pitched a magnificent game, going the distance for his ninth win of the season.

The victory was the Tigers’ 20th of the season and Bennett’s three triples tied the state record for the most by a player in a state playoff game.

After the win, the Tigers felt confident about their chances of continuing the momentum in Game 2.

However, the Tigers’ pitching staff was not as successful at quieting the opposing bats.

Park Crossing took a quick 4-0 lead in the top of the first, but Chilton County responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning.

Cleckler doubled in Hatch and Lane drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. At the end of one, the Tigers trailed 4-2.

Mirroring the top of the first, Park Crossing scored another four runs in the top of the second. This time, however, the Tigers were not able to respond in their half of the inning.

After two, the score was 8-2 in favor of the Thunderbirds.

The two teams swapped single runs in the third inning with Chilton County’s run coming as a result of a throwing error on Park Crossing’s first baseman.

Trailing 9-3, Chilton County’s offense heated up in the bottom of the fifth.

Bennett drew a bases loaded walk that scored Gilliland, Cleckler hit a single that scored Hatch, Lane was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Ramsey drove in a run with a deep sacrifice fly that almost left the park.

What looked to be a runaway win for the Thunderbirds was suddenly a close game as Chilton County’s four runs in the fifth shrunk the deficit to two.

Despite a few scattered hits and an electric crowd and dugout, the Tigers were unable to overcome the early deficit and lost 9-7 in Game 2 of the series.

The two teams are scheduled to play the third and final game of the series at noon on Saturday.

The winner will advance to the second-round of the playoffs to face Hillcrest Tuscaloosa.