Realizing a goal
- Updated: April 6, 2021
Baseball roundup: Jacksonville clinches first playoff berth since 2016, Ragland snaps Faith’s streak, and more
Tuesday’s baseball scores
Alexandria 5, Moody 0
Cherokee County 12, White Plains 11
Childersburg 4, Saks 3
Jacksonville 15-16, Anniston 0-1
Ohatchee 7, Glencoe 6
Oxford 10, Pell City 5
Piedmont 11, Pleasant Valley 0
Ragland 10, Faith Christian 9
Victory Christian 15, Jacksonville Christian 2
Wednesday’s games
Cherokee County at White Plains (2)
Alexandria at Moody (2)
Ohatchee at Glencoe (2)
Pell City at Oxford (2)
Pleasant Valley at Piedmont (2)
Ragland at Faith Christian (2)
By East Alabama Sports Today
JACKSONVILLE — The seniors on this year’s Jacksonville baseball team were in the seventh grade the last time the Golden Eagles made the playoffs, but now they’ll get to experience what the post-season is lke.
The Golden Eagles swept Anniston Tuesday 15-0 and 16-1 to clinch their first playoff berth since 2016. They’ll play Cherokee County for No. 1 next week unless White Plains can beat the Warriors Wednesday.
“It’s what we’ve had our sights set on,” Jacksonville coach Jamison Edwards said. “I’m proud for the guys. The way they have fought and battled this year has been something to make any coach proud.”
Two Jacksonville pitchers held Anniston to one hit over the two three-inning games. Coleman Oliver pitched a one-hitter in the first game and Nathan Barnwell pitched a no-hitter in the nightcap.
Christian Royster hit a bases-loaded triple in the eight-run third inning of the opener and Jacoby Zackery hit a two-run inside-the-park homer in Game 2.
Cherokee County 12, White Plains 11: Haden Wheeler singled home the tying run with one out in the bottom of the seventh, then scored the winning run when he stole third and the catcher’s pickoff attempt sailed into the outfield.
Wheeler went 5-for-5 with a double, triple, three RBIs and four runs scored. Connor Wilson and Walker Pruett each drove in a pair of runs for the Warriors.
White Plains took a 11-10 lead in the top of the inning on Jaden Chatman’s RBI single. The lead changed hands four times over the final four innings.
Chatman had three hits and two RBIs for the Wildcats. Tyler Daniel and Duke Barnett had two hits apiece.
Alexandria 5, Moody 0: Wesley Wright threw a complete-game three-hit shutout with nine strikeouts as the Valley Cubs moved within one win of clinching a playoff spot. Wright threw 112 pitches and walked four, but allowed only two base runners to reach second.
“It felt good to throw a complete game in an area game against a good Moody team,” Wright said. “I had a good defense behind me and the team was swinging it well.”
The Cubs scored all their runs in the first two innings. Ian Cartwright drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning and hit a two-run double in the second.
Piedmont 11, Pleasant Valley 0: The Bulldogs (20-4) slammed four homers and Jadon Calhoun picked up his fifth victory on the mound, a two-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts. Sean Smith homered twice, Max Hanson hit the first of his career, and Cassius Fairs legged out an inside-the-parker.
Childersburg 4, Saks 3: The Tigers opened a 4-0 lead, then held off a three-run Saks rally in the seventh for the victory. Rickey Garrett’s RBI double drew the Wildcats to within 4-3 with none out in the seventh, but the Tigers turned them back with two strikeouts and a ground out.
Garrett went 3-for-4 in the game. Childersburg starter Lane Dennis struck out 15 in six innings before Houston Fields finished in the seventh.
Ragland 10, Faith Christian 9: Owen Schall scored from the third on the third consecutive two-out error in the bottom of the eighth for a walk-off area victory that snapped Faith’s 10-game winning streak.
The wining rally came after the Lions scored three in the top of the inning to take a 9-6 lead and was the second consecutive inning the Purple Devils rallied after Faith had taken the lead.
Colton Pahman’s two-run double gave Faith an 8-6 lead in the eighth and he scored on Parker Robertson’s RBI single. Alex Almanza and Will Smith drew bases-loaded walks in the seventh to put Faith ahead 6-4, but Ragland answered with two in the bottom of the inning.
The first four batters in Faith’s lineup – Brodie Dodson, Brady Whitworth, Andrew Folsom and Pahman – all had three hits in the game. Schall and David Donaldson had three hits apiece for Ragland.
Ohatchee 7, Glencoe 6: The Indians scored four in the bottom of the sixth to take a 7-4 lead, but had to hold on in the seventh to give coach Blake Jennings his 99th career coaching victory.
Glencoe scored two runs in the top of the seventh without the benefit of a hit to make it a one-run game and Carson Tittle—the Indians’ third pitcher of the inning – got the final out on a strikeout with the tying run on third base.
Bryce Noah went 3-for-4 with three RBIs for Ohatchee. Starting pitcher Brent Honaker, Justin Powell and Trey Pesnell all had two hits. Honaker allowed three hits and struck out nine in six innings.
Oxford 10, Pell City 5: Trey Higgins hit a grand slam in the fifth inning to cap the Yellow Jackets’ second five-run inning of the game. The Jackets also got five in second, highlighted by Peyton Watts’ two-run double.
Victory Christian 15, Jacksonville Christian 2: Creed Cline pitched a five-inning no-hitter with 10 strikeouts. The Thunder reached Creed for two unearned runs in the top of the first, then it was all Victory.
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