Indians closing in
- Updated: April 4, 2017
Baseball roundup: Jenkins, Noah move Ohatchee to within a victory of clinching first area title in 30 years
Tuesday baseball
Cherokee County 15, White Plains 2
Piedmont 14, Glencoe 1
Spring Garden 16, Donoho 4
Ohatchee 11, Weaver 0
Alexandria 8, Boaz 2
Handley 5, Saks 1
Jacksonville 4, Hokes Bluff 0
Wellborn 3, Pleasant Valley 2
Oxford 13, Southside 6
Munford 18-41, Anniston 0-0
By East Alabama Sports Today
WEAVER – The Ohatchee Indians know they’re close to something historical, but they’re not about to take anything for granted.
The Indians moved closer to clinching their first area baseball title in 30 years Tuesday when they blasted Weaver 11-0 in five innings.
A win in the first game of Thursday’s scheduled doubleheader with the Bearcats would give the Indians their first area crown since 1987, two years before coach Blake Jennings was even born.
The team earned its first playoff berth in 20 years last season.
“I just told the boys they have to refocus,” Jennings said. “You know you’re close but you have to refocus. Don’t think going into Thursday’s game just because you won 11-0 Weaver is not going to show up.
“The kids have got a chance to make a little history. That’s the goal we set out at the beginning of the year. There will be more goals after that.”
Jaylon Jenkins drove in four runs with a three-run homer and RBI double; he also pitched the first three innings of the game. Sophomore Larry Noah went 3-for-3 with three RBIs.
Noah’s first hit, a second-inning double, drove in Ohatchee’s first run of the game. The Indians then broke it open with five in the fourth and five in the fifth. Noah had RBI singles in each inning.
Jenkins and Gray Alward held the Bearcats to three singles. In getting the win, Jenkins improved to 5-1 on the mound and dropped his ERA to 1.44; his only loss was a no-hitter. In going only three innings Tuesday, Jenkins remains eligible to pitch Thursday.
If the Indians do go on to clinch the area title, they will earn their first-ever home playoff series in school history.
“We had that opportunity in football and the community kind of rallied behind us,” Jennings said. “I think they’ll see that and they’ll rally behind our guys, too.”
Ohatchee 11, Weaver 0
Ohatchee 015 500 — 11 9 0
Weaver 000 000 — 0 3 1
WP: Jaylon Jenkins. LP: Dalton Hamby. 2B: Larry Noah (O), Jaylon Jenkins (P). HR: Jaylon Jenkins (O). Hits – Ohatchee: Taylor Eubanks, Jaylon Jenkins 2, Austin Tucker, Larry Noah 3, Josh Lipham, Baylee Graham; Weaver: Tyrik Hall, Jake Donnolly, Chris Lemon. RBIs – Ohatchee: Jaylon Jenkins 4, Chase Widgeon, Austin Tucker, Larry Noah 3, Josh Lipham.
Piedmont 14, Glencoe 1: The Bulldogs wasted little time jumping on the Yellow Jackets, scoring 12 runs in the first two innings.
Piedmont’s first six hitters of the game reached safely and scored in a seven-run first inning. Taylor Morrow’s bases-loaded grounds-rule double opened the scoring and before it ended 13 batters had come to the plate.
It was more of the same in the second as the Bulldogs batted around to score five more. T.J. Fairs, Easton Kirk, winning pitcher Mason Mohon and Michael Rogers knocked runs homes.
Mohon pitched the first three innings, while Derrick Baer came behind him and pitched two innings of three-hit shutout relief.
Piedmont 14, Glencoe 1
Glencoe 010 00 — 1 5 3
Piedmont 750 2x — 14 13 1
WP: Mason Mohon. LP: Paul Hicks. 2B: T.J. Fairs (P), Taylor Morrow (P).
Hits – Glencoe: Noah Huff, Cole Holbrooks, Paul Hicks, Cam Harris, Bryan Benefield; Piedmont: Taylor Hayes 3, T.J. Fairs 2, Easton Kirk, Taylor Morrow, Bailey Graves, Derrick Baer 2, Logan Pruitt, Michael Rogers 2. RBIs – Piedmont: Taylor Hayes, T.J. Fairs 2, Easton Kirk, Taylor Morrow 2, Bailey Graves 2, Derrick Baer, Mason Mohon, Logan Pruitt, Michael Rogers 2.
Oxford 13, Southside 6: The Yellow Jackets scored seven runs in the top of the eighth to pull out an important area victory. Jarin Turner delivered the big blow, a three-run double that made it 11-6.
Caden Higgins, batting leadoff in the game, got the winning rally started with a one-out single. Nate Lloyd singled him home with the go-ahead run and another run scored on a passed ball before Turner broke it open. Turner went 3-for-5 in the game and drove in four runs. Higgins went 3-for-3.
The 8-9-1 spots in Oxford’s redesigned lineup were a combined 6-for-12 with four runs and an RBI.
The Jackets still had to get out of the home eighth before claiming victory. The Panthers put runners at second and third with one out, but Jacob Sears got out of it and ended the game with two infield groundouts. Sears pitched 2-1/3 innings of one-hit relief behind Syer to get the win.
Oxford 13, Southside 6
Oxford 000 312 07 — 13 12 3
Southside 011 021 00 — 6 6 5
WP: Jacob Sears. LP: Evan Edwards. 2B: Heyden Lindsey (O), Jarin Turner (O), Daniel Sieber (S). Hits – Oxford: Caden Higgins 3, Nathan Lloyd, Jacob Sears, Jarin Turner 3, Heyden Lindsey, Jack Peavey, Juddy Moore 2; Southside: Jarren Wright, Logan Brooks 2, Daniel Sieber, Caleb Jacobs, Adam Lister. RBIs – Oxford: Caden Higgins, Nathan Lloyd, Jarin Turner 4, Heyden Lindsey 2; Southside: Jarren Wright, Logan Brooks, Baylon Fry, Caleb Jacobs 2.
Wellborn 3, Pleasant Valley 2: The Panthers scored two runs in the bottom of the first and Brandt Denham kept them ahead in this key area game with a strong showing on the mound. Denham held the inspired Raiders to four hits.
Dakota Jones raced home on Caden Turner’s grounder to short with the game’s first run in the top of the first, but Wellborn took the lead in the bottom of the inning on Jacob Shears fielder’s choice and an infield error. Kane Pitts extended the Panthers’ lead to 3-1 with an RBI double in the sixth.
Wellborn 3, Pleasant Valley 2
Pleasant Valley 100 000 1 — 2 4 2
Wellborn 200 001 x — 3 7 2
WP: Brandt Denham. LP: Brody Phillips. 2B: Brandt Denham (W), Kane Pitts 2 (W). 3B: Jordan Montgomery (W).
Alexandria 8, Boaz 2: Austin Goode kept the Pirates off balance, giving up four hits in a complete game with seven strikeouts. Several of the Valley Cubs had multiple hits — Justin Shaw went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, Austin Taylor went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Griffin Carroll went 2-for-3 and drove in a run. Mitch Welch had an RBI double and Ethan Clemson had an RBI single for the Cubs (13-12, 1-2 area).
Handley 5, Saks 1: Jaxson Whaley scattered six hits and struck out 11 for the Tigers (13-8). Saks scored its run in the fourth inning on a two-out walk to Jalen Borders and back-to-back singles by Cody Hopkins and Brannon Ogle. Hopkins was 3-for-3.
Spring Garden 16, Donoho 4: Ben Ivey homered, Dawson Broome went 3-for-3 and both players drove in three runs to lead the Panthers. Ivey homered leading off the fourth.
Spring Garden 16. Donoho 4
Spring Garden 430 306 — 16 12 3
Donoho 100 300 — 4 5 4
WP: Christian Crider. LP: Hill Billings. 2B Slayton (S), Ivey (S). 3B: Broome (S). HR: Ivey (S). Hits – SG: Riley Austin, Ben Ivey 2, Lucas Lvey, Carson Broom 3, Colby Slayton 2, Christ Slayton, Joe Rogers, Christian Crider. Donoho: Garrett Steed, Seth Ford, Hall Billings, Judson Billings, Slade Haney. RBIs – SG: Ben Ivey 3, Carson Broome 3, Colby Slayton, Chris Clayton, Austin Finch 2, Joe Rogers 2, Christian Crider 2; Donoho: Garrett Steed, Carle Williamson, Seth Ford, Hall Billings.
Munford 18, Anniston 0: Four Lions’ pitchers threw a combined no-hitter and got all 15 outs by strikeout.
Marshall Clark started and worked the first two innings, and was followed by Draven Campbell, Dakota Green and Dylan Campbell. They threw a total of 81 pitches. The only base runners they allowed came on a pair of walks.
The Lions broke open the game with 12 runs in the second inning. They sent 17 batters to the plate in the inning. Ethan Bell and Zayy Britt both hit inside-the-park homers in the inning. Britt had five RBIs in the game.
Munford 41, Anniston 0: Three pitchers combined for this no-hitter and struck out 13. Luke Faither worked the first two innings, Drew Harkins worked the second two inning and Zayy Britt got the final three outs.
The Lions scored 22 runs in the first inning and kept pouring it on. Twenty-eight batters came to the plate in the big inning. Everybody who batted for the Lions had at least one RBI. Nick Fisher drove in five runs, Zayy Britt drove in four and Carson Smith, Drew Harkins and Draven Campbell all had three RBIs.
Munford 18, Anniston 0
Anniston 000 00 — 0 0 5
Munford 1(12)2 3x — 18 13 0
WP: Marshall Clark. LP: Jaylen Parker. 2B: Ethan Bell (M), Jakobee Threatee (M). HR: Ethan Bell, Zayy Britt. Hits – Munford: Zayy Britt 2, Lance Ford, Drew Harkins, Ethan Bell 2, Dylan Campbell, Jakobee Threatt 2, Lawson Molden 2, Ethan Swinford 2. RBIs – Munford: Zayy Britt 5, Lance Ford, Luke Faither 2, Ethan Bell 2, Jakobee Threatt 2, Lawson Molden 2, Ethan Swinford 2.
Munford 41, Anniston 0
Anniston 000 00 — 0 0 12
Munford (22)59 5x — 41 26 1
WP: Luke Gaither. LP: Kwame Milton. 2B: Jeffery Threatt (M), Draven Campbell (M), Cannon Brasher (N). Hits – Munford: Tanner Reeves 2, Lawson Molden 2, Draven Campbell, Marsall Clark 3, Cannon Brasher 2, Payton Graben, Ethan Bell, Dylan Campbell, Nick Fisher 3, Dawson Strickland, Drew Harkins, Jeffery Threat 2, Ethan Swinford 2, Carson Smith, Zayy Britt 3. RBIs – Munford: Tanner Reeves, Lawson Molden 2, Draven Campbell 3, Lance Ford, Marshall Clark 2, Cannon Brasher, Dakota Green 2, Payton Graben 2, Ethan Bell 2, Dylan Campbell 2, Nick Fisher 5.
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