Spring roundup
- Updated: February 23, 2026
Austin’s grand slam, relief work key as Piedmont holds off Jacksonville rally in Hayes’ return to coach against his alma mater. Lots more reports as we go around the horn in prep baseball and softball.
By East Alabama Sports Today
PIEDMONT — Jacksonville scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning and two in the seventh, but Piedmont held the Golden Eagles off to win 6-5 in Monday’s prep baseball action.
The game marked first-year Jacksonville coach Taylor Hayes’ return to his alma mater as the Golden Eagles’ head coach. He’s a 2017 Piedmont graduate and was a perennial all-state standing in football and baseball.
Cole Austin’s grand slam highlighted Piedmont’s five-run third inning, and Aliandre Wright drew a bases-loaded walk just ahead of him.
Carson Sanders’ bases-loaded grounder scored Wright in the fifth inning for a 6-0 lead and what proved to be Piedmont’s winning run.
Jacksonville’s three-run fifth featured Sam Parker Wagoner’s single plus an error that allowed two runs to score. Nick Johnson’s pop became a run-scoring error.
Wagoner’s one-out single plus another error scored two Jacksonville runs in the seventh, but Austin, who came on in relief to begin the seventh, struck out the final two batters to end it.
Carson Cleveland got the win, allowing one hit, no earned runs and no walks with five strikeouts in six innings.
FAITH CHRISTIAN 20, ANNISTON 2: Canden Martin went 3-for-5 with a home run, two doubles, four RBIs and four runs to lead Faith’s big day at the plate.
Paul Kaiser went 3-for-4 with two doubles, four runs and three RBIs, and Sam Ricard went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs.
Tanner Smith went 1-for-3 with an RBI and three runs, and Levi Wells went 1-for-2 with a run and an RBI.
Kaiser struck out eight batters while pitching 3 2/3 innings.
Anniston’s Zamari Hawkins went 3-for-3 with two RBIs.
HOPE CHRISTIAN 14, NORTH RIVER 0: Kainen Bozeman pitched a no-hitter, with nine strikeouts in four innings of work, and Hope improved to 3-2.
Bozeman also went 1-for-2 with a triple, three RBIs and three runs.
Kingston Eagle went 1-for-4 with three runs, and Caden Marturello hit a triple with an RBI and a run. Brody Ogles singled and drove in a run, and Cayden Slick had an RBI.
PLEASANT VALLEY 13, WEAVER 3: Pleasant Valley’s Cooper Dougal had a triple and two RBIs, and Peyton Mann added a double and two RBIs.
Jackson Acker had a triple with two runs and an RBI. Wesley Wheeler and Brody Barnwell each singled, scored a run and drove in a run.
Tyler Greer Laros doubled and scored a run.
Pleasant Valley broke open a tie game with a 10-run bottom of the third inning. Jake Barnwell pitched four innings, striking out five batters while allowing four hits, one earned run and no walks.
Weaver’s Connor Hyatt went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, and Landon Free had an RBI. Tucker Michael hit a double, and Peyton Andrews singled and scored two runs.
FORT PAYNE 7, WESTBROOK CHRISTIAN 2: Westbrook’s Emmett Daniel went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, and Brodie Johnson singled and scored a run.
Softball
LINCOLN 19, OHATCHEE 5: Lincoln’s Shelby Williams went 3-for-4 with two doubles, seven RBIs and two runs, and Cameron Pruitt went 3-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and a run.
Gracyn Oglesby went 1-for-2 with two RBIs and four runs, and Kalia Fowles went 1-for-3 with three runs and two RBIs.
Aubrey Machen went 2-for-2 with a triple, a double, three runs and an RBI, and Chandler Stephens went 1-for-2 with a double, two runs and an RBI. Amrie Wells went 2-for-4 with a run.
Stephens also got the win, allowing four hits, one earned run and two walks with six strikeouts in four innings.
Ohatchee’s Annie Cox went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run. Reese Steward and Jordyn Faulkner each had a single and an RBI.
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