Piedmont sophomore’s first career grand slam big blow in Bulldogs’ 12-1 rout of rival Cherokee County; Donoho, Pleasant Valley also score run-rule wins
FRIDAY BASEBALL
Donoho 15, Jacksonville Christian 0
Piedmont 12, Cherokee County 1
Pleasant Valley 11, Woodland 1
FRIDAY SOFTBALL
Alexandria 10, Brewer 5
Piedmont 3, Sand Rock 2
Piedmont 10, Collinsville 4
By Shannon Fagan
Piedmont sophomore’s first career grand slam big blow in Bulldogs’ 12-1 rout of rival Cherokee County; Donoho, Pleasant Valley also score run-rule wins
FRIDAY BASEBALL
Donoho 15, Jacksonville Christian 0
Piedmont 12, Cherokee County 1
Pleasant Valley 11, Woodland 1
FRIDAY SOFTBALL
Alexandria 10, Brewer 5
Piedmont 3, Sand Rock 2
Piedmont 10, Collinsville 4
By Shannon Fagan
Special to East Alabama Sports Today
CENTRE – Sometimes taking things personally really helps. Just ask Piedmont sophomore second baseman McClane Mohon.
With his team already up 5-1 in the top of the second inning and the bases loaded, Mohon blasted a grand slam to deep left center field off reliever Garrett McCray to essentially deliver the kill shot in the Bulldogs’ 12-1 rout of Cherokee County.
It was the Bulldogs’ 13th straight victory.
“It felt real good,” Mohon said. “I was like ‘Take it personal. Just get mad and take it out on the ball.’ It was a curve ball. He hung it. I saw it, sat back and hit that thing.”
Mohon went 2-for-3 with two runs and four RBIs. Healso was hit by a pitch.
“We’ve really been playing with a chip on our shoulder here lately, and that really makes a difference,” Mohon said. “We’ve been taking stuff personal, but not too personal. We’re not looking at the other team, really.We’ve just been playing ourselves, and it’s really been working. We’ve just got to keep playing like we’ve been playing.”
Mohon’s grand slam was the first of his varsity career. It’s also only the second home run he’s ever hit. He went yard once last baseball season.
“I’m excited for him,” Piedmont head coach Matt Deerman said. “He’s been swinging it really well lately. He’s leading us in doubles and he finallygot one out at a good time. I’m proud for him.”
The Bulldogs (19-4) gave starting pitcher Cassius Fairs plenty of wiggle room early. They batted around and scored four runs in the top of thefirst, then sent 10 to the plate in the second and scored seven more to go up 11-1.
Fairs allowed just three hits in four innings with a walk and three strikeouts to earn the win. Malachi Horton, Jeb Crane and Connor Wilson had the lone hits for the Warriors (10-15). Horton scored their only run.
“He got ahead in counts and did a good job mixing his pitches,” Deerman said. “I thought he did a good pitching with the lead. He got in one little jam there (in the bottom of the first) and gave up a run, but he minimized the damage … That’s the kind of stuff we want to do. If you get in a situation, you want to minimize the damage. For the most part, we worked ahead in the count.”
Austin Estes went 2-for-3 with a double, a run and two RBIs. Max Hanson was 2-for-4 with a double, three runs and a RBI. Jack Tolbert tallied a hit, arun and a RBI. Jack Hayes and Noah Reedy both singled, walked and scored arun. Sloan Smith singled and drove in a run. Jake Austin scored twice.
“We haven’t been run-ruled much,” Cherokee County coach Will Smith said. “We’ve been in just about every ball game we’ve played. I was glad to see we didn’t give up, but give credit to Piedmont. They win right now in every sport, and a lot of times it’s hard to beat that. I know it’s a big rivalry game. Hopefully we’ll start being on the better end of some of those.”
Shannon Fagan is Sports Director at WEIS Radio. Cover photo of McClane Mohon coming around second base on his grand slam by Shannon Fagan.
Piedmont 470 01 – 12 10 0
Cherokee County 100 00 – 1 3 1
WP: Cassius Fairs. LP: Haden Wheeler. 2B: Max Hanson (P), Austin Estes (P), Jeb Crane (C). HR: McClane Mohon (P).
Pleasant Valley 11, Woodland 1: Pelham Parris was sharp at the plate and on the mound as the Raiders snapped an eight-game losing streak. Pelham went 3-for-4 with five RBIs at the plate and gave up three hits over five innings and struck out nine on the mound.
Woodland 000 001 – 1 4 0
Pleasant Valley 240 005 – 11 12 0
WP: Pelham Parris. LP: Eli Rollins. 3B: Guy McManus (W), Holt Bentley (PV).
Donoho 15, JCA 0: Blake Sewell went 3-for-3, Lucas Elliott drove in three runs and Peyton Webb threw five shutout innings as the Falcons clinched the series. Nic Thompson and Tyler Allen both had hits and Judson Billings and Hayes Farrell both drove in a pair of runs.
Donoho 252 24 – 15 15 2
JCA 000 00 – 0 5 2
WP: Peyton Webb. LP: Ethan Fair. 2B: Blake Sewell (D), Nic Thompson (D), Judson Billings (D), Tyler Allen (D). 3B: Slade Haney (D).
CENTRE – Sometimes taking things personally really helps. Just ask Piedmont sophomore second baseman McClane Mohon.
With his team already up 5-1 in the top of the second inning and the bases loaded, Mohon blasted a grand slam to deep left center field off reliever Garrett McCray to essentially deliver the kill shot in the Bulldogs’ 12-1 rout of Cherokee County.
It was the Bulldogs’ 13th straight victory.
“It felt real good,” Mohon said. “I was like ‘Take it personal. Just get mad and take it out on the ball.’ It was a curve ball. He hung it. I saw it, sat back and hit that thing.”
Mohon went 2-for-3 with two runs and four RBIs. Healso was hit by a pitch.
“We’ve really been playing with a chip on our shoulder here lately, and that really makes a difference,” Mohon said. “We’ve been taking stuff personal, but not too personal. We’re not looking at the other team, really.We’ve just been playing ourselves, and it’s really been working. We’ve just got to keep playing like we’ve been playing.”
Mohon’s grand slam was the first of his varsity career. It’s also only the second home run he’s ever hit. He went yard once last baseball season.
“I’m excited for him,” Piedmont head coach Matt Deerman said. “He’s been swinging it really well lately. He’s leading us in doubles and he finallygot one out at a good time. I’m proud for him.”
The Bulldogs (19-4) gave starting pitcher Cassius Fairs plenty of wiggle room early. They batted around and scored four runs in the top of thefirst, then sent 10 to the plate in the second and scored seven more to go up 11-1.
Fairs allowed just three hits in four innings with a walk and three strikeouts to earn the win. Malachi Horton, Jeb Crane and Connor Wilson had the lone hits for the Warriors (10-15). Horton scored their only run.
“He got ahead in counts and did a good job mixing his pitches,” Deerman said. “I thought he did a good pitching with the lead. He got in one little jam there (in the bottom of the first) and gave up a run, but he minimized the damage … That’s the kind of stuff we want to do. If you get in a situation, you want to minimize the damage. For the most part, we worked ahead in the count.”
Austin Estes went 2-for-3 with a double, a run and two RBIs. Max Hanson was 2-for-4 with a double, three runs and a RBI. Jack Tolbert tallied a hit, arun and a RBI. Jack Hayes and Noah Reedy both singled, walked and scored arun. Sloan Smith singled and drove in a run. Jake Austin scored twice.
“We haven’t been run-ruled much,” Cherokee County coach Will Smith said. “We’ve been in just about every ball game we’ve played. I was glad to see we didn’t give up, but give credit to Piedmont. They win right now in every sport, and a lot of times it’s hard to beat that. I know it’s a big rivalry game. Hopefully we’ll start being on the better end of some of those.”
Shannon Fagan is Sports Director at WEIS Radio. Cover photo of McClane Mohon coming around second base on his grand slam by Shannon Fagan.
Piedmont 470 01 – 12 10 0
Cherokee County 100 00 – 1 3 1
WP: Cassius Fairs. LP: Haden Wheeler. 2B: Max Hanson (P), Austin Estes (P), Jeb Crane (C). HR: McClane Mohon (P).
Pleasant Valley 11, Woodland 1: Pelham Parris was sharp at the plate and on the mound as the Raiders snapped an eight-game losing streak. Pelham went 3-for-4 with five RBIs at the plate and gave up three hits over five innings and struck out nine on the mound.
Woodland 000 001 – 1 4 0
Pleasant Valley 240 005 – 11 12 0
WP: Pelham Parris. LP: Eli Rollins. 3B: Guy McManus (W), Holt Bentley (PV).
Donoho 15, JCA 0: Blake Sewell went 3-for-3, Lucas Elliott drove in three runs and Peyton Webb threw five shutout innings as the Falcons clinched the series. Nic Thompson and Tyler Allen both had hits and Judson Billings and Hayes Farrell both drove in a pair of runs.
Donoho 252 24 – 15 15 2
JCA 000 00 – 0 5 2
WP: Peyton Webb. LP: Ethan Fair. 2B: Blake Sewell (D), Nic Thompson (D), Judson Billings (D), Tyler Allen (D). 3B: Slade Haney (D). [*** read more]
