Sarah Finnegan
Briarwood's Michael Hiers (8) pitches as Briarwood takes on Oak Mountain during a home game on March 15, 2018.
BASEBALL
Chelsea
The Chelsea baseball team clinched a playoff berth on Monday with a Class 6A, Area 8 win over Pelham, as the Hornets picked up the 3-0 shutout win. Brendon Case was masterful on the mound, allowing just three hits and striking out seven batters in the complete game. Will Peacock was 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and RBI.
The Hornets picked up the sweep of Pelham with a 7-5 win on Wednesday. After Pelham took the lead with a five-spot in the top of the sixth, Clay DeWeese’s bases-clearing triple in the bottom half gave Chelsea the lead for good. Starting pitcher Emmitt Hudspeath allowed just one hit in five innings of work, allowing two runs and striking out 10.
Due to a tie with Helena for the top spot in the area, the two teams squared off in a tiebreaker game on Friday. Both teams mustered just one hit in the game, but a sixth-inning score lifted Helena to a 2-1 win. Nolan Forehand’s RBI double in the second inning was the only offense the Hornets were able to muster. Brock Hill went 5 1/3 innings on the mound, allowing just the one hit and two runs (one earned).
Oak Mountain
The Oak Mountain baseball team dispatched the defending Class 6A champion, Helena, 5-1, on Tuesday. Gene Hurst was 2-for-3 in the contest with two RBIs, while Landon Cato doubled twice and brought home a run. Wesley Dennis got the start on the mound and surrendered just three hits and an unearned run in three innings of work.
The Eagles picked up a Class 7A, Area 6 win on Thursday, as they knocked off Spain Park 5-4. Hurst had the go-ahead single in the fifth inning and pitched six innings, allowing four hits and three runs while striking out seven.
Oak Mountain completed the sweep of Spain Park with an 8-0 win on Saturday. Hunter Hall went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs in support of Jackson Kimbrell, who allowed just two hits and struck out six in a complete game shutout.
Briarwood
The Briarwood baseball team coasted to a 15-0 win over Class 5A, Area 8 opponent Shelby County on Tuesday. Michael Hiers led the way offensively, going 2-for-3 with two doubles and four RBIs. Wesley Helms knocked in three and Hudson Hartsfield and Parker Scott each knocked home two runs. Jonah Carroll got the start on the mound and allowed just one hit and struck out five in three innings of work.
Briarwood finished off the sweep of Shelby County with a 13-0 win on Friday. Hiers did not allow a hit and struck out eight in five innings, while also driving in two at the plate. Helms drove in three runs and Bryce Perrien and Parker Scott each knocked in two.
Spain Park
The Spain Park baseball team dominated Thompson, 16-2, on Monday. Sam Dozier, Brody Richey, John Kennington and Dylan Best all knocked in a pair of runs in the contest.
The Jags fell to Class 7A, Area 6 foe Oak Mountain, 5-4, on Thursday, after a fifth-inning run put the Eagles ahead for good. Matthew Moser picked up two RBIs in the contest. Spain Park also fell to Oak Mountain, 8-0, on Saturday.
SOFTBALL
Chelsea
The Chelsea softball team picked up a 2-1 win over Oak Mountain on Monday. Brooke Burback homered on the first pitch of the game and the Hornets tacked on another first-inning run and that was all Sarah Cespedes needed. Cespedes worked out of trouble most of the evening, but she held the Eagles to one run and six hits in seven innings. Lexi Serio picked up three hits in the game.
The Hornets were shut out by Hoover, 6-0, on Tuesday.
Oak Mountain
The Oak Mountain softball team fell to Chelsea, 2-1, on Monday. The Eagles got a run across in the sixth inning on Riley Sullivan’s double, but it wasn’t enough in defeat. Lacy Marty allowed two first-inning runs but shut the door the rest of the way. She allowed six hits and struck out six in seven innings.
The Eagles handled Class 7A, Area 6 foe Huffman, 17-0 and 15-0, in a doubleheader sweep on Thursday. In the first game, Clara Fuller retired all nine batters she faced on the mound and chipped in a triple and three RBIs at the plate. Bryson Campbell drove in three while Maddie Katona and Abi Brown each knocked in a pair. In the second game, Fuller added four more RBIs in a two-hit effort and Tori Martin drove in two runs. Marty allowed just one hit and struck out seven in three innings.
Oak Mountain played in the Sumiton Christian Tournament over the weekend. On Friday, the Eagles won two of three games. In the first game, the Eagles overcame a four-run deficit to win 6-5. Jenna Galloway had the game-tying triple in the sixth and scored on a passed ball to give Oak Mountain the walk-off win.
The Eagles then defeated Corner, 3-1. Galloway drove in two more runs and Marty allowed just an unearned run on five hits in six innings in the circle. Oak Mountain fell to Gardendale, 8-4, in the final game of the day. Cassady Greenwood had a triple and two RBIs in the game.
Briarwood
The Briarwood softball team grabbed a Class 5A, Area 8 win over Sylacauga, 6-2, on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the Lions traveled to Marbury and fell 5-3.
Spain Park
The Spain Park softball team began the week with a Class 7A, Area 6 win over Huffman on Tuesday. In the 17-0 win, Kate Campbell retired all nine batters she faced and struck out seven of them in a perfect effort. Bailey Bowers was 2-for-2 with three RBIs. Campbell knocked in a pair as well.
The Jags grabbed another area win on Wednesday, as they defeated Mountain Brook 10-0. Annabelle Widra matched Campbell’s stellar effort from the day before, as she didn’t allow a hit over five innings in the circle and struck out 11. Widra was also 3-for-3 with an RBI in the contest. Caroline Wooley homered and knocked in two, while Alexis Anderson drove in two as well.
SOCCER
Chelsea
The Chelsea boys soccer team held off Helena for a 1-0 victory on Tuesday. Lando Nichols scored the lone goal in the game and Joseph Gage recorded the shut out in goal. The girls team also took down Helena, by a score of 8-1, to finish 4-0 in area play.
The Chelsea girls held off Homewood, 1-0, on Thursday. The Hornets boys were unable to get on the board against Pelham on Friday, as they fell 3-0.
Briarwood
The Briarwood boys soccer team came out of the gates slow, but scored the final three goals to pull out a 4-1 victory against Altamont.
Oak Mountain
On Tuesday night, the Oak Mountain girls soccer team outlasted Spain Park, 4-3, as the game went all the way to penalty kicks. The boys had an easier time of it, as the Eagles beat Spain Park, 2-0.
On Friday, the Eagles picked up the clean sweep over Mountain Brook. The girls team beat the Spartans 3-1, and the boys won 1-0.
Spain Park
The Spain Park girls soccer team notched the tying goal late in regulation but fell to Oak Mountain, 4-3, in penalty kicks on Tuesday night. The boys team also fell to Oak Mountain, 2-0.
Both Spain Park teams routed area foe Huffman on Thursday. The boys won 10-0 and the girls won 12-0.
