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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

GULF SHORES – The Calera Eagles were down but not out on the road against the Gulf Shores Dolphins, coming back not once but twice to sweep the series.

Calera defeated Gulf Shores 5-4 in game one and 8-6 in game two on Friday, April 25 at the Gulf Shores SportsPlex to advance to the Class 6A quarterfinals.

Both times saw the Eagles score the final five runs of the game without allowing one in return as Calera finished strong to set up a county battle with Chelsea in the next round.

The first game saw the Eagles unable to score for the first three innings as the Dolphins took the early lead. With two on and one out in the bottom of the second, Gulf Shores sent a grounder to second and plated a run for the 1-0 lead off a fielder’s choice.

After the Dolphins turned two to end the top of the third, they capitalized off a lead-off single to hit an RBI single and RBI double on back-to-back pitches. Two batters later, Gulf Shores took the lead to 4-0 with a sacrifice fly.

That would be the last Dolphins run of the game as Calera rallied to score five unanswered runs.

Facing a two-out hole in the top of the fourth, David Gutierrez ripped a triple to right to get the Eagles on the scoreboard. Demetrius Davis came in as a pinch runner and was sent home shortly after thanks to a balk, cutting the deficit to 4-2.

While the fifth inning came and went without a run, Calera used a one-out Mac Graham double to set up an RBI single from AJ Johnson with two outs. That left it a one-run game going into the seventh inning.

The Eagles kicked off the inning with a lead-off single but the next two batters got out. However, Gulf Shores opened the door with three-straight walks, including one with the bases loaded to tie the game at 4-4. The Dolphins couldn’t walk it off in the bottom of the inning, sending both teams to extras.

From there, a Johnson single and Gutierrez double put two in scoring position and no outs for Parker Breeding. He stepped up and delivered a double to left, plating the go-ahead run and setting up the 5-4 win.

Aiden Agee went the distance and got the win, allowing four runs off eight hits and two walks in eight innings. He also earned three strikeouts.

Johnson was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run while Gutierrez secured a 2-for-4 game with an RBI.

In game two, Calera went ahead quickly after Kegan Johnson reached on a bunt to third, advancing to third on the throw before scoring off a passed ball during the ensuing at-bat.

Jaiden Brown singled to put a man on, and after the next two batters got out, AJ Johnson took a 2-0 pitch yard for a two-run home run and the 3-0 lead.

However, Gulf Shores quickly erased that lead and built one of its own. Each of the first six batters reached base. The Dolphins stole home to open the lead ahead of a pair of RBI singles and a play at the plate where they were safe, establishing a 5-3 lead in the process.

Calera got the next three outs to get out of the top of the second and kept Gulf Shores scoreless in the third. The Dolphins would take advantage of a lead-off walk to score off a pair of passed balls that made it a 6-3 ball game.

Just like the first game though, the Eagles locked down on defense and scored their final five runs unanswered.

After a lead-off single from Gutierrez and a passed ball to put Davis on second, Breeding doubled to left to score the runner and make it a 6-4 game. A sacrifice bunt put Breeding on third ahead of a quick strikeout that dropped Calera to two outs.

However, an error off a Kegan Johnson ground ball led Breeding score and cut the gap to 6-5 at the end of the fourth inning.

Calera got out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the fifth and immediately got a runner on thanks to a Brown single. The next two batters got out ahead of AJ Johnson’s spot.

Just like he started the game, Johnson launched a deep fly ball that went over the wall for a two-run home run, erasing the deficit and giving the Eagles a 7-6 lead.

Gutierrez walked to keep the inning alive, and after Davis reached second as the courtesy runner, an error brought him home to take the lead to 8-6.

Calera didn’t allow a single run in response for the final two innings to seal the sweep.

AJ Johnson was 2-for-3 with his pair of two-run home runs while striking out six batters in 6.1 innings to take the win. Five of the six runs he faced were earned as he survived nine hits and six walks.

Brown finished 2-for-4 with a run. Dalton Ash got the save by making the final two outs, giving up just one hit in the process.

Calera will now face the Chelsea Hornets on the road on Friday, May 2 at Chelsea High School in the quarterfinals of the Class 6A playoffs. Times will be announced in the coming days.