Gimmie the ball

Pitchers Eagle and Amberson flex with complete-game shutouts as Hope Christian goes 2-for-2 reaching AISA baseball semifinals.

By Joe Medley
East Alabama Sports Today

OXFORD — Roby Brooks’ cell phone lights up with texts from his baseball connections day and night, and the Hope Christian coach smiled a knowing smile at Aziah Ambrson’s confident text Sunday night.

Ahead of Hope Christian’s second-round playoff series with Hooper Academy on Monday, Amberson wanted a start on the mound.

“He wanted the ball,” Brooks said. “He texted last night and asked me if he could have one of the games today, and I told him I’d let him know today, because I didn’t want him to sleep on it, but any time a guy texts me that he wants the ball, they’re probably going to get the ball.”

Amberson and Kingston eagle pitched complete-game shutouts, and Hop swept Hooper 2-0 and 6-0 at Big Jack Stovall Sports Complex.

For the second time in the two-season existence of Hope’s baseball program, the Saints (18-9) advanced to the AISA semifinals at Montgomery’s Paterson Field. They will play the Lakeside-Patrician winner March 6 at 10 a.m.

Lakeside and Patrician begin their best-of-3 second-round series Tuesday.

There’s much more to come for EA+ subscribers, including lots more details, quotes and pictures from Hope’s series sweep of Hooper Academy on Monday.