All the buzz
- Updated: March 31, 2023
A day after learning of latest No. 1 ranking, followed by dramatics at Pell City, Yellow Jackets settle into home turn of regular season’s final weeks
By Joe Medley
East Alabama Sports Today
OXFORD — Hayes Harrison might have liked to have stayed up all night Thursday, just to replay his dramatic grand slam at Pell City over and over in his mind.
That’s the thing about playing for a No. 1-ranked team with big dreams and lots of games on the schedule … no time for basking.
“I was pumped, but we got home super late,” said the Oxford senior and reigning All-Calhoun County Class 4A-6A player of the year. “I was super tired, so yes, I definitely went to sleep, knowing that we had a doubleheader today, as well.”
It’s been that kind of week for Oxford baseball.
Fresh off of beating Pell City 7-3 and 4-2 on Thursday to complete a sweep of that key Class 6A, Area 13 series, Oxford came home and split a non-area doubleheader with Dothan on Friday, losing 7-1 and winning 13-3 in six innings at Choccolocco Park.
This just 36 hours after the Yellow Jackets awoke Thursday morning to the news that they had supplanted Hartselle for the No. 1 ranking in Class 6A in the Alabama Sports Writers Association poll.
It’s not a new place for the Yellow Jackets. Winning the Perfect Game Nationals in early March won them a week to be No. 1 in the Prep Baseball Report 6A rankings and power rankings, covering all classifications.
Their latest No. 1 ranking comes with eight games left in the regular season and three weeks out from the playoffs. Oxford stands atop 6A baseball at 21-6.
Again, there’s no time for basking for a team playing for stakes. Oxford coach Wes Brooks barrels up rankings talk by invoking Nick Saban.
“It’s funny,” Brooks says with a grin. “You can call it rat poison.”
At No. 1 in the PBR, Oxford gave up six runs in the first inning against Spain Park.
A day after sweeping Pell City, with Harrison’s two-out grand slam with a 3-2 count in the top of the seventh inning of Game 2 as the centerpiece, Oxford lost Friday’s opener to unranked Dothan.
“The kids, they probably don’t need me to say that,” Brooks said. “They’ve heard that speech before. Not that he’s right, or Nick Saban is right, but if you look into rankings, you end up losing 7-1 against a team that’s .500.
“Baseball is a humbling sport. You’re either humbled or you’re about to be, so you have to play the game in a humble way.”
R.J. Brooks’ solo home run was Oxford’s highlight in Friday’s opener against Dothan.
The Yellow Jackets had six hits and took advantage of 12 walks in Game 2.
The biggest news to come from the night was an injury. Hudson Gilman, a pitcher/third baseman/catcher, suffered a broken hand while playing catcher in Game 1. A bat hit his glove.
The initial prognosis looks encouraging, Brooks said. A simple surgery to insert a pin plus three weeks’ recovery could have Gilman back for the playoffs, though he’d likely have to recondition for pitching after three weeks without throwing.
“It’s rough,” Harrison said. “He’s one of our guys. He plays a huge part on our team.”
Oxford had to carry on three weeks without Auburn signee and shortstop Sam Roberton, who suffered a knee injury in the Perfect Game tourney. He came back as designated hitter last week then returned to shortstop Thursday at Pell City.
Ah yes, Pell City.
Harrison’s grand slam to turn a 3-3 game into a 7-3 victory over Oxford’s longtime area rival will go down as one of the season’s top moments.
He nearly didn’t get the chance. One pitch prior to the home run, Pell City left fielder William Perry had a shot at Harrison’s foul ball down the line but didn’t catch it.
Next pitch, the left-handed Harrison’s barrel met reliever Ashton Ham’s fastball for a blast to right-center field.
“Everybody got hyped,” Harrison said. “We got up a little bit.”
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