Friday, April 2nd

 

7A NO. 2 HEWITT-TRUSSVILLE (4) VS. 7A NO. 1 AUBURN (3)

WADLEY, AL - There aren’t many times in a regular season where you see a matchup like the one we saw on Friday night. The top teams ranked in both Class 7A and in our Alabama Power 25 squared off at Southern Union CC, as No. 1 Auburn (21-1) and No. 2 Hewitt-Trussville (21-2) went head-to-head against each other in what was an excellent game that came down to the last pitch. Starting pitching took to the forefront in this matchup, as RHP Skylar Jones (2021, Chattahoochee Valley CC) took the mound for the Huskies and RHP Brady Fuller (2021, Southern Union CC) pitched for the Tigers.

There weren’t many offensive highlights through the first two innings as both starting pitchers had their stuff working early on. Hewitt-Trussville, however, was able to pitch across a run in the bottom of the 2nd to kick off the scoring. C Matt Miller (2022) started the inning off with a hit-by-pitch, and 2B Kurt Kizer (2023) doubled down the left field line with one out to put the Huskies in business. After an excellent at-bat, OF Jackson Ollis (2023) grounded out to 2nd with two strikes to allow Miller to come home from the 3rd. Hewitt-Trussville led 1-0 after two innings.

After both teams went down quietly in the 3rd inning, the Tigers answered back with two runs in the top of the 4th to take the lead. SS Webb Veronese (2021) started off with an infield single, but things looked like the Huskies were going to escape with another scoreless inning with back-to-back strikeouts. C Riley Austin (2021, Southern Union CC) stepped up and scorched a fastball over the right fielder’s head for a RBI double that allowed Veronese to come all the way around and tie things up at 1-1. DH Peyton Williams (2021) came up huge again with another two out, two strike base hit back up the middle that scored Austin from 2nd base. Auburn took a 2-1 heading to the bottom of the 4th.

The Huskies wasted no time answering back in the 4th with a run of their own. After back-to-back singles from 1B Jackson Holland (2021) and C Matt Miller (2022) and a walk with one out, Hewitt-Trussville had a chance to blow things open with a big inning. Auburn cut down a runner at the plate on a ground ball to 3rd base, but the Huskies scored a run on a fielder’s choice back to the pitcher that he may have had a chance to get the runner out at home. Fuller limited the damage with a strikeout to end the inning, but not before Hewitt-Trussville was able to tie things up at 2-2.

A single back up the middle from SS Hudson Boren (2021) and an error by the pitcher once again put the Huskies in business with runners at 1st and 3rd with no outs in the 5th inning. After a RBI groundout to give the Huskies a 3-2 lead, C Matt Miller (2022) drove a pitch deep in the right center field gap for a RBI sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 4-2 heading to the 6th inning.

After a double that hit off the shortstop’s glove with one out, OF Brendan Wall (2022) cut the deficit to 4-3 with a RBI single back up the middle for the Tigers. After a walk to the next hitter, RHP Riley Quick (2022) came on to close things out with runners at 1st and 2nd with one out. Facing to the top of the order, Quick retired the next two hitters on a strikeout and a ground ball to shortstop that ended the game and gave No. 2 Hewitt-Trussville a huge 4-3 win over No. 1 Auburn.

Top Performers - Hewitt Trussville

Skylar Jones - W, 6.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, BB & 8 K’s

Jackson Ollis - 2 RBI’s

Matt Miller - 1-1, RBI, R, HBP, SB

Kurt Kizer - 2-2, 2B

Hudson Boren - 1-2, R, SB

Riley Quick - SV, 0.2 IP, K

Jackson Holland - 1-3, 2 SB’s

Top Performers - Auburn

Brady Fuller - 5 IP, 4 H, 4 R (2 ER), BB & 6 K’s

Riley Austin - 1-3, 2B, RBI

Peyton Williams - 1-3, RBI

Brendan Wall - 1-3, RBI

 

 

6A GULF SHORES (9) VS. 6A ROBERTSDALE (2)

ROBERTSDALE, AL - The Gulf Shores Dolphins traveled to Robertsdale High School to take on the Golden Bears to open up 6A Area 2 play and came away with a 9-2 win. The Dolphins sent their ace, RHP Thrasher Steed (2022, UAB) to the mound while Robertsdale countered with RHP Tucker Thompson (2022). Steed was in complete control from the first pitch as he went 6 innings and only allowed 4 hits and 2 earned runs. He struck out 7 and walked 3 hitters, while being credited with the win. Thompson may not have put up the numbers Steed did but he kept the Golden Bears in it over his 3 ½ inning stint. The junior scattered 7 hits and allowed 6 runs but only 1 of those runs was earned. He struck out 1 hitter and did not issue a walk.

Gulf Shores got the scoring started in the top half of the 1^st inning as they jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Colby Franklin (2022) got things going with a 1 out single  and Marc Stephens (2022) was hit by pitch to put runners on 1^st and 2^nd. Franklin scored on an error and Stephens came around to score on a single off the bat of Jackson Achimon (2022). The final run of the inning was scored when Mattox Johnson (2022) singled to make it 3-0 Dolphins. The Dolphins added a run in the 2^nd inning as Jud Keel (2022) laid down a perfect drag bunt and came all the way around to score on the play as the ball was thrown away down the right field line to make it 4-0. The Golden Bears got on the board in the 3^rd inning as Aiden Macks (2022) drew a 2 out walk, stole 2^nd base and scored on a Sage Givens (2022) single to make it 4-1 after 3 innings. The Dolphins answered right back by adding 3 runs in the top half of the 4^th inning to lengthen the lead to 7-1. Austin Nix (2022) started things off with a leadoff double and Keel was hit by a pitch and with 1 out both runners moved up a base on a passed ball. Franklin once again delivered as he scored Nix from 3^rd base on a sacrifice fly. Stephens reached on an error which allowed Keel to score as Stephens would eventually score on another error in the inning. Things remained the same until the 6^th inning when the Dolphins would add 2 more insurance runs. Conner Roberts (2021) led off the inning with a single and came around to score on a double by Stephens. Achimon delivered again, this time a 2 out single to score Stephens for the 9^th run for the Dolphins. The Golden Bears added the final run of the night in the home half of the 6^th inning as Ethan Smith (2022) got hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and later scored on a fielder’s choice by Robert Douglas (2023). RHP Brandon Benkovics (2025) worked a perfect 7^th inning for the Dolphins to close out the game.  

 

Top Performers - Gulf Shores

Thrasher Steed - 6 IP (W), 4 hits, 2 ER, 7 K, 3 BB

Jackson Achimon - 2-4, 2 RBI

Austin Nix - 2-4, 1 2B, 1 run scored

Marc Stephens - 1-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 3 runs scored, 1 SB

Colby Franklin - 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 run scored

Mattox Johnson - 1-2, 1 RBI

Jud Keel - 1-2, 2 runs scored

Top Performers - Robertsdale

Kobe Wiggins - 2-3, 1 SB

Sage Givens - 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB

Anthony Beck - 1-2, 1 BB

 

Gulf Shores won G2 (3-1) and G3 (3-2) of the area series as well. 

 

Saturday, April 3rd

 

6A Spanish Fort (6) vs. 6A Baldwin County (5)

SPANISH FORT, AL -  Spanish Fort rallied for five runs in the final two innings to pick up a huge 6A Area 2 win.  After scoring ten runs in the 7^th on Friday night to win game one, Spanish Fort improved to 2-0 in area play Saturday.  Caleb Hayles (2021) walk-off double scored Reese King (2022) in the bottom of the 7^th.

Baldwin County jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a Justin Brunson (2022) RBI single in the top of the 1^st inning.  Spanish Fort scratched a run in the 2^nd to even the game at one.  Baldwin County’s Canyon Odom (2022) and Spanish Fort’s Matthew Thompson (2022) pitched well early.  Both pitchers pounded the strike zone and changed speeds effectively.  The game headed to the 4^th inning tied at one. 

Baldwin County centerfielder Reece Buck (2022) had a leadoff line drive single to left field that sparked the Tigers 4^th inning rally.  Odom followed up with a line drive single to right field.  First baseman Bryce Epperson (2021) followed up with a single to right field to load the bases.  Baldwin County scored all three runners on a hit by pitch, passed ball, and a Blake Perkins (2021) sacrifice fly.  The Tigers headed to the bottom of the 4^th with a 4-1 lead.

The Tigers loaded the bases again in the top of the 5^th.  Brunson singled to lead off the inning.  After a hit batter and a walk, Epperson’s single scored Brunson.  With the bases loaded and one out, Spanish Fort brought in Parker Reimensnyder (2022) from the bullpen.  Reimensnyder only needed three pitches to induce a 4-6-3 double play and keep the game within reach heading to the bottom of the 5^th.

Spanish Fort’s 6^th inning rally started with two outs when a misplayed fly ball off the bat of Cole Morton (2022) scored Hayles.  After Skyler Smith (2022) walked, Auburn commit Cameron Keshock (2022) doubled to right center, scoring Hayles and Smith.  The Toros headed to the 7^th trailing 5-4.

Designated hitter Jackson Ray (2022) doubled to lead off the 7^th for the Toros.  King’s line drive single to left scored Ray to tie the game.  Spanish Fort’s centerfielder Pierce Dutton (2023) ground ball and moved King into scoring position.  That set the stage for Hayles double over the centerfielder’s head to score King and win in walkoff fashion. 

Baldwin County won the second game of the doubleheader 10-8.  However, Spanish Fort’s 13-3 win Friday night and walk-off win Saturday gave the Toros a 2-0 series win.

 

Top Performers - Spanish Fort

Parker Reimensnyder - 2.2 IP (W), 1 hit, 0 runs, 2 K, 1 BB

Caleb Hayles - 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 run scored, 1 2B

Cole Morton - 1-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 run scored

Skyler Smith - 1-2, 1 2B, 1 run scored

Cameron Keshock - 1-3, 1 2B, 2 RBI

Jackson Ray - 1-2, 1 2B, 1 run scored, 1 SB

Reese King - 2-3, 1 RBI, 1 run scored

 

Top Performers- Baldwin County

Justin Brunson - 3-4, 1 RBI, 1 run scored

Bryce Epperson - 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 run scored

Brady Seals - 1-3, 1 run scored, 1 BB

Canyon Odom - 1-3, 1 BB

 

 

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