HS sports update: Teams resume play following spring break
BASEBALL
Oak Mountain
The Oak Mountain baseball began the week with an 11-2 blowout victory over Pelham. Ryan Reuse racked up three hits in the game, including a double and three RBIs. Jackson Kimbrell also drove in three runs on a pair of hits, while Hunter Hall was 2-for-2 with two RBIs. Carlton Lucas pitched four great innings in relief, not allowing a hit to finish the contest.
The Eagles started Class 7A, Area 6 play on Thursday with a tough loss to Mountain Brook, as the Spartans outlasted the Eagles 6-5 in 13 innings. Gene Hurst had two RBIs in the game and Wesley Dennis struck out eight over the final 3 1/3 innings in relief.
Oak Mountain rebounded on Saturday but narrowly escaped with a 7-6 victory over Mountain Brook, as the Spartans scored all six of their runs in the seventh inning. Hall knocked in two runs for the Eagles. Kimbrell struck out 10 in six great innings on the mound.
Briarwood
The Briarwood baseball team cruised to an 11-0 win over Moody on Tuesday in a Class 5A, Area 8 matchup. Michael Hiers went 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBIs, while Eli Steadman, Sam Hamner and Wesley Helms knocked in a pair of runs apiece. Jonah Carroll went the full five innings, allowing four hits with five strikeouts.
The Lions finished the sweep of Moody with an 18-2 win on Friday. Carson Eddy went 4-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs, while Bryce Perrien and Helms each drove in two runs. Hiers was great on the mound and at the plate. He registered four hits, drove in three runs, and struck out nine hitters over 5 2/3 innings on the mound.
Chelsea
The Chelsea baseball team grabbed a Class 6A, Area 8 victory over Helena on Tuesday, knocking off the defending state champs, 4-1. Clay DeWeese drove in two runs, as the Hornets scored all four of their runs in the fourth inning. Brendon Case allowed one run on three hits in five innings of work, while punching out six hitters.
Helena avenged that loss on Thursday with an 8-5 win over Chelsea. Carter Frederick supplied most of the offense for the Hornets with his grand slam in the fifth inning.
Spain Park
The Spain Park baseball team notched a 3-1 win over Pell City on Tuesday. Colton Ledbetter registered a pair of hits, including a double, and an RBI in the contest. Sam Dozier allowed a lone unearned run in a complete game effort, as he allowed six hits and struck out five.
Spain Park picked up another win on Wednesday, outlasting Gardendale, 5-4, in eight innings. Colton Ledbetter’s two-run triple in the eighth inning lifted the Jags to the win. Dozier notched a pair of hits and drove in a run as well. Starting pitcher Noah Burns was solid, as he went 5 1/3 innings and allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits.
The Jags swept Class 7A, Area 6 foe Huffman in a Thursday doubleheader, defeating the Vikings 20-1 and 19-5. Over the two games, Brody Richey drove in a combined 12 runs. In the first game, Ledbetter and John Kennington had three RBIs apiece, while Jarrod Kennington surrendered two hits and an unearned run in four innings on the mound. In the second game, Dozier went 2-for-3 with a double, triple and three RBIs.
SOFTBALL
Oak Mountain
The Oak Mountain softball team outlasted Tuscaloosa County, 15-12, on Tuesday. The Eagles got great offensive contributions across the board, including three home runs. M’Kiyah Mitchell hit a homer and drove in five runs, while Cassady Greenwood homered and brought home four runs. Torie Denkers also homered with two RBIs. Abi Brown had a four-hit night, including a double and an RBI.
The Eagles fell to Class 7A, Area 6 rival Spain Park, 3-2, on Thursday. After falling behind 3-0, Oak Mountain rallied and kept the game from getting out of hand, as freshman pitcher Lacy Marty escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the fourth. The inning was capped off by Bryson Campbell’s strong throw to the plate on a sacrifice fly attempt to record the third out of the frame. Denkers homered and Mitchell drove in the other run.
Briarwood
The Briarwood softball team dropped a Class 5A, Area 8 contest to Moody, 13-5, on Tuesday. The Lions fell in area action again on Thursday, dropping an 11-1 decision to Shelby County.
Over the weekend, the Lions played in the Rumble on the River in Pell City. On Friday, the Lions dropped a pair of contests. In a 2-1 loss to Pinson Valley, Lydia Coleman knocked in the lone Briarwood run, while Caroline Campbell was solid on the mound. She surrendered just four hits and two runs (one earned) in five innings of work. In the second game, North Jackson defeated the Lions, 11-7.
On Saturday, Briarwood turned the page and picked up two wins. The Lions defeated Pell City 3-2 before shutting out Mountain Brook 8-0.
Chelsea
The Chelsea softball team was knocked off by Helena, 14-5, on Tuesday, in a Class 6A, Area 8 game.
The Hornets were in a tough position on Thursday, as they resumed an area contest against Pelham that was delayed by rain on March 20. The game was picked up in the second inning with Chelsea trailing 7-0. But the Hornets played well, despite finishing with a 9-5 loss. Lexi Serio went 3-for-3 in the game with a double and two RBIs, and Brooke Burback drove in two runs as well.
Spain Park
The Spain Park softball team dominated Huffman, 22-0, on Tuesday in a Class 7A, Area 6 team. Kate Campbell pitched a perfect game in three innings, retiring all nine batters she saw and striking out eight of them. She was also 2-for-3 at the plate. Caroline Wooley smacked a pair of home runs and drove in four runs, while Alexis Anderson also homered. Bailey Bowers doubled and brought home two runs.
On Thursday, the Jags picked up a critical win over Area 6 rival Oak Mountain. In the 3-2 win, Lindsay Parker went 3-for-3 with a pair of run-scoring hits. Annabelle Widra went the distance in the circle, as she went seven innings and allowed two runs on seven hits, with eight strikeouts.
SOCCER
Briarwood
The Briarwood boys soccer team cruised to a 10-0 win over Calera on Tuesday. On Friday, the Lions took down Westminster-Oak Mountain, 4-1. Griffin Felton notched a pair of goals, while Hamilton Bowen and Logan Frost scored as well.
Chelsea
The Chelsea boys soccer team dominated en route to a 12-3 win over Talladega. Tony Nettuno racked up four goals and an assist. Andrew Messier and Lando Nichols each had three goals and three assists, while Matt Reinsch picked up a goal and an assist.
The girls team traveled to Foley for the Southern Coast Cup over the weekend. On Thursday, the Hornets began play with a 2-0 loss to Broken Arrow (Oklahoma). The girls split their final two games of the event on Friday, losing 6-0 to Padua (Delaware) before knocking off in-state foe Grissom, 6-2.
On Friday, the boys team took down Alma Bryant, 6-1.
Oak Mountain
The Oak Mountain girls soccer team traveled to Foley for the Southern Coast Cup over the weekend. The Eagles began their run on Thursday with a 3-2 loss to Brookwood (Georgia). On Friday, the Eagles fell to Summitt (Missouri), 2-1.
The boys team traveled to McCallie (Tennessee) on Friday and fell 2-1 to one of the top teams in Tennessee. John Long notched the lone goal for the Eagles. Luke Jaskinski scored both goals on Saturday as the Eagles knocked off Cleveland (Tennessee), 2-0.
Spain Park
The Spain Park girls soccer team pulled out a critical, 3-2, win over Hoover on Tuesday. Spain Park’s boys beat Pelham 2-1 on Wednesday. Logan Bradley scored his first goal as a member of the varsity team to equalize the score in the first half. Brooks Rice scored near the end of the first half to give the Jags the lead for good. Goalkeeper MJ Dimbo made five saves in the win.
On Thursday, the girls team knocked off Gardendale, 4-0.
Both Spain Park teams took on Mill Creek (Georgia) on Friday. The girls notched a 2-1 win and the boys grabbed a 6-3 comeback victory. The Jags trailed 3-0 and scored the game’s final six goals to pull away. Rice registered a whopping four goals in the game, while Reece Eberhardt scored the other two. Justin Fisher grabbed the win in goal.