It was like a typical baseball movie. One of those where the heroes struggle all season making mistakes and finally coming alive in the &uot;big game&uot;.

Oak Mountain’s movie adventure started with a JV rout of the junior Homewood Patriots 18-6.

The varsity game started on time just after 7 p.m. Homewood scored in the first inning with a lead-off single, a sacrifice bunt and OMHS’ first infield error.

Eagle pitcher Chris Hundley struck out the first batter in the second inning and nicked the jersey of the next one giving Homewood another base runner.

The Patriots were eager to see if they could run on Hundley. Their runner took bigger and bigger leads.

Finally, on a 2-2 count, catcher Nick Nelson had seen enough and called for an outside pitch.

He came up into a throwing position as he caught it and rifled a strike to first baseman Grant Elder who slapped the tag on the surprised runner with a step to spare.

However, it was almost 8:00, nearly an hour after starting, when the first Eagle finally reached base.

Bear Burnett walked with two outs in the fourth inning but was stranded when the next batter flew out to left field and the &uot;rally&uot; died.

Homewood

threatened once again in the fourth after two

quick outs. Their third batter singled and moved to third when the next man also slapped a one-bagger.

Kyle Dudley ended the Homewood threat with a great catch in the outfield.

Blake Wood walked to start the Eagle fifth inning and ran to second on a passed ball. The next man struck out.

With Wood is still on second Grant Elder stepped up to the plate and slaps the ball past the first baseman into right field.

Wood was moving with the pitch and rounded third past Coach Tommy Youngblood.

Wood scored to tie the game. The throw to home was late and Elder moved to second.

Jeff Curvin then drove a 1-2 pitch into right-center scoring Elder.

The next batter ended the inning with OMHS leading 2-1.

Homewood’s fifth started with OMHS hitting the first two batters.

Then two Eagle fielding and throwing errors put runners at second and third. A sacrifice fly to Jarrod Pescatore in left brought in a run to tie the game.

Homewood’s Parker Gargis came in to pitch the sixth. He had beaten the Eagles two weeks ago at home.

Oak Mountain sent only four batters to the plate and not advancing beyond first base with a walk. Homewood scored again in the bottom of the sixth.

Bear Burnett came into the game in relief of Hundley. Hundley struck out four and allowed four hits.

The Eagle defense committed three errors and gave up two runs.

Then OMHS made its fourth error of the night, hit its fifth batter and forced in

Homewood’s go-ahead run.

The bases were still loaded when the Patriots’ sixth batter came to the plate. Homewood hit a grounder to Burnett who tossed it to Nelson for the force at home.

Nelson stepped on the plate and fired a shot to Wood on third for a double play.

In the top of the seventh, OMHS’ first batter struck out. Homewood’s pitcher then clipped Dudley’s jersey with an inside pitch.

He then walks the next batter and hits another to load the bases.

Burnett hit a fly to deep center to score Dudley. The next Eagle hit a sacrifice to tie the score at three apiece.

Homewood

‘s first batter in the bottom of the seventh hit a grounder to Curvin at second who tossed it to Elder at first.

Their next batter, Homewood’s clean-up hitter, doubled to center field.

The No. 5 batter repeats the Curvin-to-Elder scene and Burnett struck out the last Homewood batter.

With the score still tied, the game went to extra innings.

Gargis hit Wood for the second time of the night to put an Eagle runner on first.

Homewood’s coach pulled Gargis for a reliever.

Hundley, now playing right field, sacrificed Wood to second with a bunt for the first out.

The next man popped out to the shortstop for out No. 2.

Then Curvin rapped another single to center and Wood scored the go-ahead run.

The inning ends after the next batter.

Burnett hit the first Homewood batter. Burnett then struck out the next three batters.

When the last batter missed the last pitch, the mound became an Eagle mob scene. There were hats and gloves in the air.

Players were hugging each other and dancing in circles with the area win over rival Homewood