Shelby Academy lost its opening contest, then fought through the loser’s bracket to win four straight games and the Class 1A state championship at the AISA tournament last weekend in Selma.

The crown is the first for Shelby Academy and head coach Mark Windham.

The Raiders (20-5-1) scored nine runs during a fourth-inning rally to down Lowndes Academy 17-6 in the title game.

After falling behind 4-1 to start the game, Shelby managed to send 13 batters to the plate in the fourth, clinching a lead that would hold until well past midnight when the game finally wrapped up.

The Raiders had forced the late contest by winning Game 1 against Lowndes – who hadn’t been beaten in the double-elimination tournament – earlier that evening.

&uot;It was a wild celebration out on the field,&uot; Windham said. &uot;I was impressed by the number of fans we had down there, even that late.&uot;

Josh Kervin had two doubles and three RBIs, Jake Ingram tripled and knocked in one and Marcus Jones singled in two runs – all during the fourth inning of the night cap.

Shelby put the game away with seven more runs on six hits in the sixth inning, before the game was called because of the 10-run rule.

Jones and Kervin both finished the game 4-for-4 at the plate, while Cody Wright had three hits and three RBIs to go with three runs scored.

Jones and Ingram each knocked in four for Shelby.

Kervin, who struck out six and walked four in six innings pitched, helped himself out at the plate with three RBIs.

Though the Raiders played like champions the rest of the way, Windham was admittedly nervous about his team’s performance following a 13-4 loss to Southern Academy to open the tournament Thursday.

Shelby committed 7 errors in the loss.

&uot;That was probably the worst we had played all year,&uot; Windham said. &uot;After we played the first game I thought we’d be two-and-done.

&uot;I pretty much told them after that game if you play like that again you’re going to get embarrassed and we are going home.&uot;

His players responded, especially at the plate, where tournament MVP Jake Ingram went 10-for-18 with a double, two triples, a home run and 11 RBIs in five games.

Kervin, Kevin Lackey and

Jason Stokes each joined Ingram on the all-tournament team.

Lackey earned the win in the first game against Lowndes to end the school’s 19-game win streak, striking out seven of the final 10 batters in his first complete game of the year. He fanned 10 and walked none in the seven-inning contest, which Shelby won 7-1.

Pitcher Jamie McClain turned in his first complete game of the year as the Raiders beat Southern Academy 12-6.

&uot;A lot of thanks definitely goes to Jason Kervin, assistant coach,&uot; Windham said. &uot;It was like having two coaches out there. And the kids on the bench had great attitudes. It was definitely a complete team effort.&uot;

– Rick Ingram contributed to this report