Baseball Playoffs for Calhoun County

Calhoun County, AL – First-round AHSAA series are underway around the state, with Alexandria, Donoho, Jacksonville, Munford, Oxford, Piedmont playing at home; updates coming

By Joe Medley

UPDATE:

Piedmont, Oxford sweep way to second round; Donoho and Munford eye Game 3 on Saturday; four more area teams eliminated Friday

First-round scores

Class 6A
—Oxford 10-20, Center Point 0–0; Oxford (31-6) wins series 2-0

Class 5A
—Alexandria 3-13, Jasper 0-5; Alexandria (28-5) wins series 2-0
—Russellville 12-13, Southside-Gadsden 4-1; Russellville (20-12) wins series 2-0

Class 4A
—West Limestone 4-4, Jacksonville 1-1; West Limestone (22-10) wins series 2-0
—UMS-Wright 0-6, Munford 2-2; Game 3 Saturday, 1 p.m.
—Bayside Academy 15-9, Handley 0-3; Bayside Academy (20-7) wins series 2-0

Class 3A
—Piedmont 4-12, Colbert County 2-2; Piedmont (23-7) wins series 2-0
—Phil Campbell 22-10, Weaver 1-0; Phil Campbell (20-6) wins series 2-0

Class 2A
—Sulligent 3-7, Donoho 4-2; Game 3, Saturday, 2 p.m.
—Bayshore 10-14, Ranburne 0-0; Bayshore Christian (21-4) wins series 2-0

Class 1A
—Sumiton Christian 5-10, Spring Garden 4-5; Sumiton Christian (16-5) wins series 2-0
—Ragland 3-13-11, Hackleburg 4-9-12; Hackleburg (20-9) wins series 2-1

By East Alabama Sports Today

PIEDMONT — Piedmont coach Matt Deerman has wanted to see a reawakening of Bulldog bats, and it happened in Friday’s first-round playoff series against Colbert County.

After winning Game 1 4-2 on strong pitching from Brodie Homesley and Jack Hayes, the Bulldogs belted nine hits while winning Game 2 12-2 in five innings.

Fourth-ranked Piedmont (22-6) earned a second-round playoff series at Decatur Heritage next week.

“Survive and advance,” Piedmont coach Matt Deerman said. “We continued to pitch it well and play well defensively. We had several missed opportunities in Game 1 that we didn’t take advantage of but did in Game 2.

“That was the difference.”

McClane Mohon and Jake Austin each had two hits in Game 2. Mohon had a double and RBI, and Austin drove in two runs.

Cole Austin had a double with two runs and two RBIs. Kale Austin and Sloan Smith each had two RBIs, as well.

Hayes cruised on the mound, pitching all five innings. He allowed two hits, one earned run and one walk with four strikeouts.

Hayes also finished off Game 1, retiring the final batter in relief.

Homesley got the start, spreading out three hits with three walks and eight strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.

Hayes also homered, doubled and drove in two runs in Game 1. Kale Austin had a single and RBI.

OXFORD SWEEPS: Center Point left Oxford on Friday with the same number of hits it brought.

Hayes Harrison and Hayden Gallahar combined for a perfect Game 1, and Drew McCormick, Jackson Crow and Peyton Watts tag-teamed for a no-hitter in Game 2 as the Yellow Jackets eliminated the Eagles 10-0 and 20-0 in 10 combined innings.

Top-ranked Oxford (31-6) will play host to Mountain Brook in next week’s second-round Class 6A series.

“Pitchers threw strikes, hitters were patient at the plate, and it was an all around good day,” Oxford coach Wes Brooks said.

Gallahar worked three innings and had eight of Oxford’s 11 strikeouts in Game 1. Harrison struck out three batters.

In Game 2, McCormick struck out six batters in two innings, and Crow fanned three in two innings. Watts had two strikeouts in one inning.

Roby Brooks was the star of offensive stars on the night, driving in six runs in Game 2. That included a three-run, inside-the-park home run.

Sam Robertson had a triple among his two hits. McCormick, Trace Adams, Eli Bozeman and Caleb Robertson all had a double. McCormick drove in three runs, and Oxford got two RBIs apiece from Sam Robertson and Adams.

In Game 1, Carter Johnson homered and had two RBIs. McCormick and Watts each had a triple, and Watts also had a double.

DONOHO SPLITS: Lucas Elliott went 3-for-3 and scored two runs, and Blake Sewell went 2-for-3 with a run and RBI while pitching a complete game as third-ranked Donoho beat Sulligent 4-3 in Friday’s Game 1 of their Class 2A playoff series.

Sulligent turned the tables in Game 2, winning 7-2. Game 3 is Saturday at 2 p.m. at Donoho.

“Good matchup,” Donoho coach Steve Gendron said. “They battled their tails off in each game, and we need to do the same tomorrow. We need to do the same.”

Donoho’s Nic Thompson went 1-for-2 with a run in Game 1, reaching 100 career hits.

MUNFORD SPLITS: Riley Brown pitched a two-hitter as eighth-ranked Munford beat UMS Wright 2-0 in Game 1 of their Class 4A playoff series at Munford, but sixth-ranked UMS Wright won Game 2 6-2.

Game 3 is Saturday at 1 p.m.

Brown struck out four batters and walked three over seven innings.

Mason Brewer hit a solo home run among his two hits, and B.J. Anderson went 2-for-3 with an RBI.

“We played really well in the first game,” Munford coach Derek Stephens said. “We hit well, pitched well and played good defense, and that’s what UMS Wright is. They are going to be solid in those three phases of the game. They also play small ball when they need to. In the second game, we made three errors in one inning. That gave them a three-run cushion. We tied the game before that. …

“Overall, we competed toe to toe with them for 14 innings. That’s what we challenged our guys to do.”

FOUR ELIMINATED: Jacksonville lost both games of its first-round Class 4A series with West Limestone, 4-1 and 4-1, on Friday

In Class 2A, Ranbune fell to Bayshore Christian 10-0 and 14-0.

In Class 1A, Spring Garden fell to Sumiton Christian 5-4 and 10-5, and Ragland lost Game 3 to Hackleburg 12-11.

In Thursday’s 4A action, Bayside Academy swept Handley, and Brooks swept Cleburne County. Phil Campbell swept Weaver in 3A.

JASPER-ALEXANDRIA

Game 2: Alexandria beats Jasper 13-5 to complete the sweep, will play second round next week at Arab.

Game 1: Alexandria wins 3-0. Andrew Allen pitches four-hit shutout in 96 pitches. Game 2 to follow.

CENTER POINT-OXFORD

Game 2: Oxford wins 20-0, will play host to Mountain Brook next week, likely Thursday. McCormick, Crow and Watts combine for no-hitter, so Oxford didn’t allow a hit in the 10-inning series.

Game 1: Oxford wins 10-0. Hayes Harrison and Hayden Gallahar pitch a combined perfect game.

WEST LIMESTONE-JACKSONVILLE

Game 2: Jacksonville falls 4-1, eliminated.

Game 1: West Limestone wins 4-1. Game 2 to follow.

SULLIGENT-DONOHO

Game 2: Sulligent wins Game 2 7-2 to force Game 3 on Saturday, 2 p.m.

Game 1: Donoho wins 4-3 Complete game for Blake Sewell. Game 2 to follow.

COLBERT COUNTY-PIEDMONT

Game 2: Piedmont wins 12-2 to advance to second round, will play Decatur Heritage on the road next week. Game 1 likely Friday at 4:30 p.m.