Spain Park baseball wins its first state title

The Spain Park High School baseball team won the 2014 AHSAA Class 6A State Championship against Sparkman in May.

The Jags’ Jon Sumner blasted a three-run triple to put Spain Park up 6-3 in the third inning of the winner-take-all third game of the championship series. Spain Park ended up winning the game 9-4.

Starting pitcher Tristan Wildra pitched the complete game to earn the championship win. He gave up three hits, four unearned runs and three walks while striking out seven batters.

Spain Park faced the defending state champion Pelham Panthers in the second round of the state tournament. The Jags swept Pelham, and then did the same to Northview and Baker in the quarter- and semifinals.

Against Sparkman, Spain Park won the first game of the championship series 2-1, before dropping game two 5-0. The Jags’ game three win gave them the two-games-to-one series championship.

The 2014 state title is the first AHSAA baseball championship ever won by the Jags, who are coached by Will Smith.

-Submitted by Ted Melton