By Michael Butler

Things started great in Tallassee’s third-round playoff matchup with Bibb County. The Tigers won 8-1 in the opener on Thursday, but the Choctaws bounced back with 3-1 and 2-0 wins to take the series and advance to the semifinal round of the AHSAA Class 4A postseason. 

“When you’re playing in May, you know that you have had or are having a great season,” said head coach John Goodman. “We as a coaching staff set off to bring Tallassee baseball back. With the help of some very special young men, they have successfully done that. This was a great season.”

It was a true playoff atmosphere at Tallassee’s Southside Field with the Tigers hosting a playoff series beyond the second round for the first time since 2006. Last year, Tallassee played its third round series at Mobile Christian. Prior to that, the most recent quarterfinal came in 2017, also in Mobile against UMS-Wright. 

Chase Chumley picked up the win in game one pitching 5 2/3 innings. Xavier Rhine hit a homerun in the game’s first at-bat, but it was all the scoring the Choctaws would muster. 

Chumley struck out four and walked one. Jack Butler closed it out with 1 and 1/3 inning of work allowing no runs while striking out two and waking none. 

Tallassee belted out 14 hits led by Brue Milner and Bry Hathcock with three each. Milner had four RBIs including a bases-clearing double in the fourth that broke open a 3-1 game. Thomas Lemmond and Chase Webster added two hits apiece. 

The bats cooled for the Tigers afterwards however and the run production dipped as a result. Tallassee had just five hits total over the next two games touching home plate just once. 

Ethan McMillan and Brayden Cash pick up the victories for Bibb County. Cash carried a perfect game into the fifth that was broken up on a single by Chumley. 

Thomas Lemmond and Abram Whittington took their first losses of the season on the mound. Lemmond allowed three earned runs over six innings in game two, striking out two and walking one. 

Whittington, the game three starter, pitched three innings allowing a run with two strikeouts and a walk. Butler was charged the other run pitching 3 1/3 of relief with two strikeouts and two walks. Brandon Goodman pitched 2/3 of inning, striking out one and walking one. 

Tallassee (23-12) will graduate 13 seniors who put up the program’s first 20-win season since 2017. The back-to-back quarterfinal appearances were the first in consecutive seasons since 1992-93. 

“One of the most significant changes we had to make this year with injuries was with players,” Goodman added. “Everyone stepped up and together we made something special. This group of seniors are special, not only on the field but as young men. I am so grateful to be a part of this bunch.”

Sophomore Brue Milner ended the season with a .489 average, sixth best all time among Tallassee hitters. 

Bibb County (27-10) will face top-ranked Oak Grove (30-3) next week.

Tallassee Single-Season Batting Average Leaders
Jonathan Johns – .521 (1988)
Davis Knapp – .514 (2011)
Michael Chandler – .509 (1987)
Rusty Smith – .505 (1998)
John Wilbanks – .500 (1986)
Brue Milner – .489 (2025)