MONTGOMERY – Defending Class 2A state champion G.W. Long scored 10 runs in the top of the first inning on eight hits and cruised to an 18-5 victory over Westbrook Christian in the opening game of the AHSAA Class 2A State Baseball Championship Series Wednesday night at Paterson Field. The two teams will resume the best 2-of-3 series at 10 a.m., Thursday at Riverwalk Stadium, home of the Southern League AA Montgomery Biscuits. Game three, if needed, will follow immediately after completion of the second game. All AHSAA Championship Series games are being live-streamed by the NFHS Network over its subscriber-based platform. For more information, go to www.nfhsnetwork.com. The Rebels (33-6) of Coach Drew Miller, winners of an AHSAA state-record 15 state baseball titles with the first coming in 1989, wasted little time in taking control of the opening game at Paterson Field. Kam Faria opened with a double down the left-field line and when he came up the plate for the second time in the inning nine batters later, he walked to force in a run. Senior third baseman Matt Snell had a two-run double and sophomore Harrison Gray drove in two runs with a single. A total of 15 Rebels hitters came to the plate in the inning. Long added four runs in the second and third innings to take an 18-1 lead before Westbrook Christian(23-13) rallied for three runs in the fourth and one in the fifth. The game was called after five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule. Snell finished with three hits and three RBIs, catcher Slade Simmons had two hits, including a triple, and had three RBIs, and Gray had two hits and two RBIs. Trevor Morris scored four runs and had one hit. Collecting doubles were Faria, Snell, Gray and Jake Steed. Westbrook catcher Greysen Robinson had two hits and drove in three runs for Coach Matt Kennedy’s Warriors. Third baseman Isaac James had a double and single and one RBI. Westbrook used five pitchers with starter Ashley Dutton getting the loss. The Warriors issued six walks and hit one batter. G.W. Long used three hurlers with Jake Steed working the final three innings. Christian Collier pitched the first inning and Carson Dunlap hurled the second inning. The Class 4A State Championship Series opened Wednesday night in the second game with Sipsey Valley facing Brooks. That series will resume at Riverwalk Stadium Thursday at 4 p.m. Classes 5A and 6A open play in those championship series at Paterson Field Thursday. Briarwood Christian (19-14) plays Springville (32-6) at 4 p.m., in game 1 of the Class 5A series, and Cullman (28-13) faces Chelsea (26-13) in the 6A first game at 7. Both series move to Riverwalk Friday. The Class 7A series featuring Bob Jones (41-8) and McGill-Toolen Catholic (30-7) will play its first game Friday night at Paterson Field at 6 p.m. The 7A series will conclude Saturday at Riverwalk Stadium with game 2 at 10 a.m.
MONTGOMERY – Providence Christian rebounded from a 5-4 loss in game two of the AHSAA Class 3A State Baseball Championship Series at Riverwalk Stadium Wednesday to claim the school’s first state baseball title winning game three 16-6. The Eagles (30-9), who won game one on Tuesday 4-0, fell behind 3-0 after two innings in deciding game before rallying to tie the contest at 3-3 in the top of the third. Coach Casey Smith’s team took the lead 5-3 with two runs in the fourth inning and then tacked on nine runs in the top of the fifth to take a 14-3 lead. Piedmont, which forced game three with a 5-4 nine-inning win in game two Wednesday morning, got three runs back in the bottom of the inning to avoid the 10-run rule ending but yielded two runs in the sixth as PCA closed out the win. Winning pitcher Will Solomon relieved starter David Warren in the bottom of the first when the pitcher left the mound due to an injury. Solomon tossed 5 2/3 innings allowing seven hits, five runs and striking out six in a journeyman relief effort. Coleman Wright closed out the game getting the final out. Providence Christian slugged 12 hits in the third game with Cole Smith pounding three hits and driving in two runs. Bayden Banner had one hit and had four RBIs, and Jake Smith slugged two hits to plate two more runs. No. 9 hitter Reid Leger scored three runs and had one hit and two RBIs. The Eagles had seven hits in the fifth-inning outburst and also took advantage of three Piedmont errors to send collect nine runs. Jake Smith and Reid Leger each had a single and two RBIs in the inning. Grayson Stewart, who pitched a two-hit shutout to win game 1 on Tuesday, had one hit and scored two runs in game three. He was named the Class 3A State Championship Series MVP. Piedmont (36-10), which set a school record for wins in a season in 2019, collected seven hits with lead-off hitter T.J. Fairs collecting two hits, scored two runs and had one RBI. Starting pitcher Bryce Walter, who pitched two shutout innings before reaching his pitch-count limit for the day, also had two hits and drove in two runs. DH Nick Johnson had a single and RBI. He and Fairs each had a hit and RBI to account both runs for Bulldogs, coached by Matt Deerman, in the second inning. Fairs scored the run in the first leading off with a walk, moved to third on a throwing error and scored on a wild pitch. Fairs ignited the fifth-inning rally with an infield single. Mason Mohon plated him with a single Walter singled to left to plate Piedmont’s final two runs. Piedmont used five pitchers in the third game yielding seven walks and hitting six batters. Providence Christian hit two giving both team a combined eight in the contest. All games in the 2019 Baseball Championships are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network’s subscriber-based platform. Information can be found at www.nfhsnetwork.com. The Class 2A Championship series featuring defending 2A state champ G.W. Long and Westbrook Christian, got underway at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Paterson Field. The Class 4A Championship Series between Brooks and Sipsey Valley will play game one at 7 p.m.
Game 2: Piedmont 5, Providence Christian 4 (9 innings) MONTGOMERY – Piedmont second baseman Brent Deerman singled to right in the bottom of the ninth inning to plate Austin Estes with the winning run as the Bulldogs (36-9) forced a third game in the Class 3A State Baseball Championship Series at Riverwalk Stadium Wednesday. Mason Mahon hurled 3 2/3 scoreless innings in relief to get the win for Coach Matt Dearman to get the win. He allowed two hits, walked three and struck out two. Starter Bryce Walter pitched the first 5 1/3 innings, gave up six hits, four runs and struck out six. Brayden Banner hurled seven innings for Coach Casey Smith’s Eagles, scattering seven hits, four runs, walked one and also struck out six. Reliever Will Solomon got the loss. Piedmont took an early 3-0 thanks to timely hitting from T.J. Fairs, Mason Mohon, Sean Smith, Jack Hayes and Nick Johnson. Mohon ripped a triple, scored twice and had one RBI. Hayes and Fairs had a double each and Fairs had the sacrifice bunt that moved Estes into scoring position in the ninth before Deerman’s game-winning hit. Providence cut the lead to 3-1 with a run in the top of the third and plated three runs in the top of the sixth. Eagles center fielder David Warren, who had two hits, made the defensive play of the game by running down Piedmont first baseman Sean Smith’s towering blast to left center with the winning run in scoring position that was grabbed at the warning track to end the bottom of the seventh. Cole Smith had three hits for Providence Christian. Mohon, Smith and Hayes had two hits each for Piedmont.
MONTGOMERY – Piedmont second baseman Brent Deerman singled to right in the bottom of the ninth inning to plate Austin Estes with the winning run as the Bulldogs (36-9) forced a third game in the Class 3A State Baseball Championship Series at Riverwalk Stadium Wednesday. Providence Christian (29-9) won game one on Tuesday night 4-0. The deciding Game 3 was to be played immediately following Game 2. Mason Mahon hurled 3 2/3 scoreless innings in relief to get the win for Coach Matt Dearman to get the win. He allowed two hits, walked three and struck out two. Starter Bryce Walter pitched the first 5 1/3 innings, gave up six hits, four runs and struck out six. Brayden Banner hurled seven innings for Coach Casey Smith’s Eagles, scattering seven hits, four runs, walked one and also struck out six. Reliever Will Solomon got the loss. Piedmont took an early 3-0 thanks to timely hitting from T.J. Fairs, Mason Mohon, Sean Smith, Jack Hayes and Nick Johnson. Mohon ripped a triple, scored twice and had one RBI. Hayes and Fairs had a double each and Fairs had the sacrifice bunt that moved Estes into scoring position in the ninth before Deerman’s game-winning hit. Providence cut the lead to 3-1 with a run in the top of the third and plated three runs in the top of the sixth. Eagles center fielder David Warren, who had two hits, made the defensive play of the game by running down Piedmont first baseman Sean Smith’s towering blast to left center with the winning run in scoring position that was grabbed at the warning track to end the bottom of the seventh. Cole Smith had three hits for Providence Christian. Mohon, Smith and Hayes had two hits each for Piedmont. All games in the 2019 Baseball Championships are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network’s subscriber-based platform. Information can be found at www.nfhsnetwork.com. The Class 2A Championship series featuring defending 2A state champ G.W. Long and Westbrook Christian, gets underway at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Paterson Field. The Class 4A Championship Series between Brooks and Sipsey Valley will play game one at 7 p.m.
AHSAA State Baseball Championships
MONTGOMERY – Providence Christian scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning Tuesday night and junior pitcher Grayson Stewart did the rest as the Eagles downed Piedmont 40 to take a 1-0 advantage in the best 2-of-3 Class 3A State Baseball Championship Series at Paterson Field. The two teams meet again Wednesday morning at 10 a.m., in game 2 at Riverwalk Stadium – with game three to follow immediately if needed. The 2019 AHSAA State Baseball Championships open the Class 2A and Class 4A championship series at Paterson Field Wednesday night. Defending state champion G.W. Long (32-6) meets Westbrook Christian (23-12) at 4 p.m., in Class 2A, and Brooks (25-8) faces Sipsey Valley (20-15) in the first game of the 4A series at 7. Mars Hill Bible swept Brantley with its 13-2 win Tuesday morning to claim the Class 1A state title at Riverwalk Stadium. All games in the 2019 Baseball Championships are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network’s subscriber-based platform. Information can be found at www.nfhsnetwork.com. Coach Casey Smith’s Eagles (29-8) got a very strong pitching performance from Stewart, who allowed just two hits, walked none and struck out nine to get the win. Logan Pruitt pitched well for Coach Matt Deerman’s Bulldogs 35-9). He allowed six hits, one earned run and struck out four in a complete-game effort. Center fielder David Warren beat out an infield hit to open the bottom of the first for Providence. He scored on an error. With two runners in scoring position, right fielder Brayden Banner singled in two more runs to give the Eagles a 3-0 lead. Banner picked up his third RBI with a fielder’s choice in the third to make it 4-0. Piedmont center fielder and lead-off batter T.J. Fairs collected both hits for the Bulldogs socking two doubles.
MONTGOMERY – Mars Hill Bible came out swinging in game two of the AHSAA 2019 Class1A State Baseball Championship Series Tuesday at Riverwalk Stadium to down Brantley 13-2 to sweep the state title. The Panthers (34-6) scored four runs in the top of the first inning on three hits and six in the top of the fourth on six hits to coast to the Panthers’ fifth state baseball championship overall and their first since winning the 2A title in 2012. The 64th AHSAA State Baseball Championships continue with the Class 3A Championship Series getting underway at Paterson Field at 6 p.m. Providence Christian (28-8) and Piedmont (35-8) will play game 1 at Paterson Field and will move to Riverwalk Stadium Wednesday morning at 10 a.m., for game 2 and if necessary, game 3 to follow. All games in the 2019 Baseball Championships are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network’s subscriber-based platform. Information can be found at www.nfhsnetwork.com. Coach Jay Mitchell’s team also gave Mars Hill a sweep of the baseball and football titles. The Panthers rolled to the Class 1A state football championship last December. The Panthers totaled 14 hits in the Tuesday’s game with Class 1A state finals MVP Brooks Thompson, a senior first baseman who came into the finals hitting .370 on the year, was 2-for-3 Tuesday, scored twice and finished the two-game series 4-for-6 with two RBIs. Sam Ragan got the bats going in the first inning with a lead-off double off starting pitcher Jake Kilcrease. He scored on a single by Collin Huntley and Kyler Murks completed the rally with a two-run single. Murks finished 2-for-2 with three RBIs. Brantley got two runs back in the bottom of the first inning off Mars Hill starter Colt Smith. The Bulldogs’ lead-off hitter Jake Kilcrease singled to open the bottom of the inning, and Parker Odom tripled to right four batters later to drive in two runs. Walker White came in to pitch in the second inning for Mars Hill and went 3 2/3 innings allowing just one hit and two batters to reach first in a masterful relief appearance to get the win. Will Potts came in to get the last out in the bottom of the fifth inning for the Panthers. Ragan singled to start the six-run rally for Mars Hill in the top of the fourth. Smith and Peyton Higgins had RBI singles and Josh Bowerman had the big hit driving in two runs with a triple. Six of Mars Hill Bible’s starters collected two hits or more with Bowerman and Murks finishing with two hits and three RBIs each. Higgins had three hits and two RBIs, and Huntley had two hits and two RBIs. Dunn had two of Brantley’s four hits. Coach Andrew Brook’s Bulldogs (29-10) were led by Dunn’s two hits. The Bulldogs won the 1A state baseball title in 2009 and followed the next fall by capturing the Class 1A state football crown. The Class 2A and 4A Championship Series also get underway Wednesday afternoon at Paterson Field with defending Class 2A state champion G.W. Long (32-6) and Westbrook Christian (23-12) playing game 1 at 4 p.m. Brooks (25-8) and Sipsey Valley (15-12) open the 4A Championship Series at 7 p.m.
MONTGOMERY – Mars Hill Bible scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning on a wild pitch allowing catcher Collin Huntley to score from third and the Panthers grabbed a 4-3 victory over Brantley to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-3 AHSAA Class 1A State Baseball Championship Series Monday night. The Panthers (31-6) and Bulldogs (29-9) opened the 64th AHSAA State Baseball Championships at Paterson Field. Game 2 in the series moves to Riverwalk Stadium Tuesday at 10 a.m. with game three, if needed, to follow immediately. The Class 3A Championship Series between Providence Christian 28-8) and Piedmont (35-8) will get underway with Game 1 at Paterson Field Tuesday night at 6 p.m. All games in the 2019 Baseball Championships are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network’s subscriber-based platform. Information can be found at www.nfhsnetwork.com. Huntley led off the bottom of the seventh inning with the game tied at 3-3 and socked triple off starter and losing pitcher Parker Odom. The Bulldogs intentionally walked Colt Smith and Brooks Thompson to load the bases before Odom got Peyton Higgins to line out to center. With Josh Bowerman at the plate, Odom’s next pitch was wide allowing Huntley to score from third with the winning run. Mars Hill took a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning when Thompson doubled in a run and scored on Higgins’ single. Brantley pecked away with a run in the top of the second and third off Mars Hill starter Bowerman to knot the score at 2-2. Pinch runner Morell Edwards scored from third on Carson Jones’ infield out for the first run. The next run came on a bases-loaded walk by Bowerman to Samuel Tompkins plated Tucker Kilcrease, who opened the inning with a walk. The Panthers of Coach Jay Mitchell took the lead 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth when Smith opened with a triple and scored Thompson singled him in. Brantley, coached by Austin Brook, struck quickly in the top of the sixth when Jake Kilcrease ripped a two-out single, stole second and scored on Greyson Layton’s single. Smith, the fourth Mars Hill pitcher inserted by Mitchell, pitched the final 1 1/3 innings to get the win in relief. He allowed one hit and struck out one – but more importantly pitched the Panthers out of the jam in the top of the sixth. Starter Bowerman hurled 5 2/3 innings allowing six hits and striking out two. Brantley’s Odom pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowed seven hits, two earned runs and struck out seven in the loss. Mars Hill’s Thompson had two hits and two RBIs to pace the Panthers’ seven hits. Second baseman Kyler Murks also had two hits including a double. Lead-off hitter Jake Kilcrease had three hits and Layton had two to pace the Bulldogs’ eight-hit attack.
AHSAA Baseball Spotlight
MONTGOMERY -- Left-handed junior pitcher Jesus Criollo closed out Loachapoka High School’s 2019 baseball season last week by tying the AHSAA state record for strikeouts in a seven-inning game as he whiffed 21 in an 8-7 win over arch-rival Notasulga. The win was the only victory of the season for the Indians, who started baseball back two years ago after discontinuing the spring sport. Criollo allowed two hits, walked four. One Blue Devils batter lined out to second and one of Criollo’s strikeout victims reached base safely on a third-strike passed ball. Criollo joined a very exclusive club of just three other AHSAA pitchers to have 21 strikeouts in a seven-inning game. The last reported with 21 strikeouts was Cody Reed of Ardmore, who whiffed 21 versus Elkmont in a 5-0 win in 2014. Reed was drafted in the second round of the MLB Draft that summer and is now assigned to the Visalia Rawhide in the Class A California League. He currently on the disabled list. Trey Vice of Westbrook Christian hurled a no-hitter and struck out 21 to beat Fultondale in the 2007 season, and Opelika’s Roy Jackson fanned 21 in a 12-4 win over Benjamin Russell in a 1971 game. Jackson also had five strikeouts in the fifth inning of that performance. “It was an amazing effort,” said Loachapoka baseball coach Jeff Klein, who just completed his second season as head coach. “He is a left-hander with a good future ahead of him. We have a very young program in a sport where our kids have very little of experience coming in. We’re trying to build the baseball program, and Jesus’ pitching performance was a great way to end the season. We have a long way to go here but we are working to give our kids more experience playing in the summer.” Loachapoka finished the season 1-8 and was 3-11 in 2018. The seven runs allowed were the fewest allowed all season. Opponents scored no fewer than 13 in the other contests. “I remind myself to be patient. We started the season with 18 kids and ended with 10. It is frustrating but we are committed to developing this program into one that can be competitive. We’re working hard and are going to get there if we can just stay on course.” Seven pitchers are in the AHSAA Record Book with 20 strikeouts in a seven-inning game, including Reed, who beat Saint John Paul II Catholic 1-0 with a one-hitter in 2013. Isabella’s Harold Lockhart made the list with an AHSAA state-record 20 consecutive strikeouts in a 1-0 loss to Verbena in 1951. The 20th strikeout victim reached base on a passed ball and came around to score on a throwing error during the attempt to throw him out running to first base. It ended what had been a perfect game for Lockhart at that point. The AHSAA record for strikeouts in a game was set in 1926 when Fred Sington of Birmingham Phillips struck out all the outs (27) in a nine-inning 10-2 win over Jefferson County (Tarrant). Sington, a prominent businessman who was a key founder of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955.
MONTGOMERY -- McGill-Toolen Catholic High School hurler Chandler Best registered the 30th win of his prep career with a five-inning one-hitter to beat Fairhope 10-0 and moved into the AHSAA Baseball Spotlight for this week in the process. Best, a Southern Miss signee, is now 30-1 for his career and 5-0 on the season. He struck out nine and homered in Game 1 of the doubleheader sweep and teammate Nathan LaRue, an Auburn signee, homered to highlight the game two 3-1 win. Luke Williams and Spencer Hadley also homered in the first game for the Yellow Jackets. | Best has 78 strikeouts in 44 innings this season with just 11 walks. He career totals after the win included 272 strikeouts in 202 inning pitched. His only loss was to Fairhope 2-1 last year. “Chandler just exudes confidence on the mound,” McGill-Toolen head coach Tim Becker told Al.com reporter Ben Thomas. “The whole team plays with a different demeanor when he is out there, a different confidence. I think it kind of encourages him when those guys come out,” Becker said. “I think he likes it. But Chandler comes to pitch every day. He is focused and on every time he takes the mound. It is one of the things I really admire about him.” In other highlights reported this week:
PITCHING BRADY JAMES, OPP: Hurled a one-hitter and struck out five as the Bobcats downed Straughn 6-0. He faced just 23 batters in the seven-inning game as Opp (14-7) recorded its 10th straight win. COLE CHEATHIAM, DANVILLE: Pitched his second no-hitter of the season as the Hawks blanked Priceville 50. He threw just 81 pitches, 50 for strikes, struck out nine and walked three. WILLIAM THOMAS, NEW HOPE: Hurled a five-inning perfect game no-hitter as New Hope beat Brindlee Mountain 21-0. He faced just 15 batters and recorded 12 strikeouts. Teammate Dominic Banas allowed only one hit and whiffed 14 in a one-hit 13-0 shutout win in game two. He also had a triple and double and drove in four runs. MICHAEL FOWLER, HEWITT-TRUSSVILLE: Tossed a one-hitter and struck out 13 to shut out Vestavia Hills.
A.J. CAUSEY, SPARKMAN: Pitched a five-inning no-hitter to beat Grissom 11-1. He struck out eight. Offensively, he slugged two home runs and finished with three hits overall. DEVIN GOOCH, ROGERS: Tossed a complete-game 5-1 win to beat Central-Florence. He struck out 13. Ben Hartzog clubbed a triple to plate two runs and Remington Bradley doubled and had two RBIs for the Pirates. HUNTER McGRIFF, HAZEL GREEN: Tossed a five-I inning no-hitter and whiffed13 as the defending Class 6A state champion Trojans beat Lee-Huntsville 15-0. LUKE DANIEL, WILSON: Allowed no hits and struck out 10 in 6 2/3 innings as the Warriors downed Deshler 9-3. He walked eight. He also had two singles and two RBIs at the plate. CADE ABERNATHY, ATHENS BBILE: Hurled a one-hit shutout to beat St. Bernard 13-0. He struck out 13 in the win. RHETT LEMAY, PRICEVILLE: Pitched a two-hitter in Priceville’s 9-1 win over Danville, striking out 10.
HITTING GREYSON LAYTON, BRANTLEY: Had a home run, three RBIs and scored three runs in a 12-11 win over Class 5A Charles Henderson. The victory was the Bulldogs’ ninth in a row. JORDAN WHITLOE, REELTOWN: Had six RBIs in a 23-1 win over Coosa Central – smashing two two-run doubles, an RBI single and sacrifice fly. The Rebels won game one of the doubleheader 5-3. B.J. BRADAM, SPARKMAN: Helped the Senators overcome a seven-run outburst in the top of the seventh inning by Grissom to take an 9-8 lead by slugging a game-ending grand slam homer in the bottom of the seventh to seal a 12-9 win. GAVIN HOLDEN, ROGERS: Homered twice, including a grand slam, and totaled six RBIs in a 9-1 win over Lexington. BRYANT RUSHING, LUVERNE: Had four hits, three runs scored and four RBIs as the Tigers downed Zion Chapel 17-1. CAM HILL, BOB JONES: Was 3-for-3 with a two-run homer and pitched six shutout innings to get the mound win in a 6-0 win over Austin in game one of a twinbill sweep. He added a home run, double and two walks and drove in four runs in game two’s 19-9 win. DERRICK JACKSON, BUCKHORN: Poked a grand slam to lead the Bucks to a 14-0 win over Maw Jemison. BRANTLEY HOLDEN, FLORENCE: Singled in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Falcons an 8-7 win over James Clemens in the second game of a double-header sweep over the Jets. He also had two hits and scored twice in a 5-3 win in game one. Teammate Zeke Bishop had a single and three RBIs for the big hit in a three-run fifth-inning rally. PEYTON WILSON, HOOVER: Had nine hits, including two doubles and two triples, and also stole three bases in five games. He also had the game-winning hit to drive in the winning run in the eighth inning to lift the Bucs past Austin. JAKE HOLIFIELD, ST. PAUL’S EPISCOPAL: Had two hits and two RBIs as the Saints rallied in the top of the seventh inning to score twice to nip UMS-Wright 5-4. He also pitched the final inning to get the save. BREYDON EMONDSON, THOMPSON: Collected nine hits in 15 at bats with two doubles, two home runs, three RBIs and five runs in five games. CARTER SAMPLE, DECATUR HERITAGE: Had a home run and drove in four runs in the Eagles’ 11-3 win over East Lawrence. He also picked up the mound win with six strikeouts over six innings. JOHN ROBERT AUSTIN, HOLY SPIRIT CATHIOLIC: The junior slugged his first grand-slam home run and finished with five RBIS as the Titans beat South Lamar 13-3. The homer came in a nine-run first inning for Holy Spirit. GARY WILLIAMS, AMERICAN CHRISTIAN: Had three hits and five RBIs in a 12-0 win over Northside. JADEN PAGE, BUCKHORN: Collected three doubles to spark a 13-6 win over Deshler.
Jack Knight, Bayside Academy: Pitched a complete game, allowing one run over seven innings, as Bayside Academy defeated St. Michael 7-1 in Class 3A, Area 1 action. Knight allowed four hits and struck out five. He didn’t walk a batter. He went 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI at the plate. In a 6-5, series-clinching win over St. Michael on Saturday, he had a two-out, two-run single to put his team ahead to stay. He also drew a pair of bases-loaded walks to finish with four RBIs.
Landon Mura, J.U. Blacksher: Pitched a shutout and struck out 17 in Game 1 of a doubleheader sweep of Elberta and homered in the second game. He was 3-for-5 at the plate for the day.
Trenton Brannan, Saraland: Hit a grand slam as the Spartans defeated Faith Academy 10-1 in the third game of their Class 6A, Area 1 championship series to claim the title. Brannan also had two hits and an RBI in a 7-3 Saraland win in Game 2 on Saturday.
Bryce Eddington, St. Luke’s: Earned three wins for the week with 11 innings pitched, 20 strikeouts, two walks and no runs allowed. Also went 11-of-20 at the plate with five doubles, seven RBIs and three stolen bases.
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