Prep Baseball Report

Alabama Daily Roundup: April 7th


PBR Alabama Staff

PHENIX CITY, AL - There’s not much, if any, room for error in Area 4 of Class 7A, as your season essentially comes down to how well you do in four games. In an area with three teams that are all ranked currently inside the Top 5 in 7A (No. 2 Auburn, No. 3 Central Phenix City, No. 5 Smiths Station), one of those teams will unfortunately be left out of the AHSAA State Playoffs. No. 3 Central Phenix City hosted No. 5 Smiths Station to kick off area play that would turn out to be an excellent pitching matchup as expected. It was a battle of the aces, as the Red Devils handed the ball to RHP Will Cannon (2021, Georgia State), and the Panthers countered with RHP Trent Hodgdon (2021, West Virginia).

The 1st & 2nd innings went by quickly with both starters navigating their way through each lineup for the first time with relative ease. Both pitchers worked into the low 90’s, with Cannon bumping 92 mph and Hodgdon hitting 90 mph a handful of times. After Cannon tossed a scoreless top of the 3rd, the Red Devils showed excellent plate discipline and the ability to play small ball to start the inning. With two walks and a bunt that the runner beat the throw to 2nd base to start the bottom of the 3rd, Central Phenix City was in business. With the heart of the order due up and no outs with the bases loaded, the Red Devils pushed three runs across the plate on a RBI fielder’s choice groundout from OF Zion Morris (2021, Central Alabama CC) and two RBI singles from OF Jax Yoxtheimer (2023) and 1B Brody Capps (2022). 

Trailing 3-0 to start the 4th, it looked like the Panthers were about to erupt with a big inning of their own after singles to start the inning from C Ellis Yohn (2021, Tennessee-Martin) and 1B Clayton Freeman (2021, Central Alabama CC). Cannon, however, did an excellent job of buckling down to escape with only one run scoring in the inning off of a RBI sacrifice fly to center field from OF Luke Hasty (2021, Central Alabama CC). The Red Devils took a 3-1 lead to the 5th inning and never looked back from there. 

RHP/2B Cole Kehoe (2021, Auburn-Montgomery) relieved Cannon to work the final 1.2 innings on the mound. He inherited runners on 1st and 2nd with one out, but after a walk to load the bases, Kehoe escaped the jam and left the tying and go-ahead runs on base with an infield pop out and a groundout. The senior went on to toss a scoreless inning in the 7th to secure a 3-1 victory to give the Red Devils an opening win in Area 4 play. 


Top Performers - Central Phenix City

Will Cannon - W, 5.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 5 BB & 5 K’s

Jax Yoxtheimer - 1-1, RBI, R, 2 BB

Brody Capps - 1-3, RBI

Cole Kehoe - 1-3; SV, 1.2 IP, H, 0 R, BB & K


Top Performers - Smiths Station

Trent Hodgdon - 6 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 4 BB & 7 K’s

Ellis Yohn - 2-3, BB

Logan Collins - 1-3, 2B, IBB

Clayton Freeman - 1-3

Luke Hasty - RBI, BB

 

 

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