Barons Win 9-6 over the Lookouts to Claim SL North Championship

The Birmingham Barons won 9-6 over the Chattanooga Lookouts to win the Southern League North Championship before 2,245 at AT&T Field on Friday night. This will be the second year in a row that the Barons and Biscuits will play for the Southern League Championship title.

Starting pitcher Riley Gowens went three innings, allowing five hits, three runs (one earned), and three walks, while striking out six. Lucas Gordon (1-0, 3.00) gets the win in relief, going three innings, giving up three hits, one earned run, and one walk with five strikeouts. Phil Fox pitched 0.2 innings, giving up one hit, two earned runs, and two walks with one strikeout. Adyson Coffee pitched 1.1 innings, allowing only a walk while striking out one. Caleb Freeman gets his first save of the playoffs, throwing a perfect ninth inning.

The Barons score first in the game when DJ Gladney singled on a line drive to center field, scoring William Bergolla. Coden Connor hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Sam Antonacci, and the Barons led 2-0. The Lookouts scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning on RBI from Ruben Ibarra and Jay Allen. The game was tied at 2-2.

In the top of the second inning, Bergolla singles to right field, scoring Jordan Sprinkle, and the Barons led 3-2. A wild pitch scored Bergolla from third base, and the Barons led 4-2. In the bottom of the third inning, Austin Hendrick singled home Allen, and the Barons' lead was trimmed to 4-3. In the top of the fifth inning, Gladney hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Antonacci, and the Barons led 5-3. Caden Connor hit an RBI ground-rule double, scoring Ryan Galanie, and the Barons led 6-3.

In the top of the sixth inning, Bergolla's sacrifice fly to center field scored Sprinkle, and the Barons led 8-3. Antonacci singled down the right field line, scoring Rikuu Nishida, and the Barons led 8-3. The Lookouts cut the score to 8-6 in the bottom of the seventh inning on a home run by Austin Hendrick. The Barons get another run in the top of the ninth inning, on an Alec Makarewicz RBI double, scoring Gladney.

For the Barons, Bergolla had two hits, two RBI, and two runs scored. Antonacci had two hits, an RBI, and scored two runs. Gladney had two hits, two RBI, and a run scored. Connor had a hit and two RBI in the road win.