By Michael Butler

Fans got their money’s worth in Friday’s first-round playoff series at Munford, Tallassee fans especially. The Tigers won two one-run games to grab the sweep 6-5 and 7-6.

Tallassee (20-10) showed its grit in come-from-behind fashion in both games advancing to the second round of the post-season for the third straight year.

Munford (16-9) led 5-2 in game one after four, but the Tigers scored two in the fifth and two more in the sixth to complete the comeback.

In the sixth, Konner Taunton’s single to the left-center gap scored Avery Brantley to give Tallassee its first lead and the win to Thomas Lemmond, who went five innings with six strikeouts and two walks. Jack Butler and Chase Webster pitched a scoreless inning each in relief.

Abram Whittington led Tallassee at the plate going 3-for-3 with a walk, RBI and run scored. Taunton and Brue Milner added two hits apiece.

Whittington threw five scoreless innings in game two as the Tigers built a 4-0 lead. The starter was chased in the fifth though as the Lions mounted a rally of their own to cut the lead to 4-3.

That lead remained until the seventh, but Munford put up another three-spot to grab its first lead in the nightcap.

Tallassee saved some heroics as well batting as the home team in the bottom of the seventh, aided by three Munford errors. Cash Gough reached on a bang-bang play at first that scored Hudson Timmerman in walk-off fashion.

Brandon Goodman picked up the win after retiring the final Lions’ batter in the seventh. Gough, Lemmond and Bryson Rigsby had two hits each. Milner was intentionally walked three times and four in all for the twin bill.

“The win was truly a team win, both games,” said THS head coach John Goodman. “This bunch doesn’t give up. They keep fighting. They might scare us coaches to death sometimes, but they finish.”

The Tigers have reached 20 wins in a season for the first time since 2017. They look to punch their ticket to the third round this week, a feat that has not been done in consecutive seasons since the 1992 and ’93 seasons.

W.S. Neal (16-6) will be this week’s opponent. The best-of-three series begins at 4:30 on Thursday, April 24 with a doubleheader at Southside Field. Game three, if necessary, will be on Friday at 5 p.m. All action will be broadcast on WTLS – Score 94.7/Hit 106.9.

“We are so glad to be back home,” Goodman added. “There was a tremendous crowd from Tallassee this past week, so we expect an incredible crowd this week. Come out and watch these guys play. I promise they will keep you on your toes.”