VINEMONT, Ala. – The Vinemont Eagles played their first game of the season at Mike Cupp Field Thursday night, looking for a win over Brewer. Unfortunately, the Patriots kept the Eagles’ bats in check and Vinemont dropped its home opener 9-1.
Both starters retired the side in the first inning, and new Eagle pitcher Preston Williams came in the top of the second inning, and he retired the Patriots in order. Ayden Thomason led off the Vinemont second with a walk, then a sacrifice bunt by Williams and a ground out by Owen Mckinney moved the courtesy runner, Jaxon Holcomb, over to third base with two outs. A ground out, though, ended the Eagle half of the second inning.
Williams retired the first two Brewer hitters in the top of the third, but the Patriots got things going after that as back-to-back singles put runners on first and second with two outs. Then a two-run single gave them a 2-0 lead and the Patriots added another run in the top of the fourth as the Patriot runner stole home. The Eagles got singles from Jarrett Friedrich and Michael Foust in the bottom of the fifth inning but couldn’t do anything with it as they went into the top of the sixth inning trailing, 3-0.
Vinemont got the first two outs of the inning as they looked to keep it at a three-run deficit. Brewer had other plans, though, as they launched a two-out rally that saw them score five runs, with the big hit coming on a two-run double, and the Eagles saw their deficit get swelled to 8-0. The Patriots made it 9-0 on a Vinemont error in the seventh. The Eagles got on the scoreboard in their final at-bats as three straight Brewer errors allowed Friedrich to cross the plate, but they didn’t get any closer after that as Vinemont ended up dropping their game to the Patriots, 9-1.
Foust, Friedrich (one run scored), and Rush Sandlin had the only three hits of the game for Vinemont (1-3). The Eagles will stay at home Friday as they will take on Hayden.
Montverde Academy (Florida) 3 – Cullman 2 (Baseball)
The Cullman Bearcats took part in the Perfect Game High School Showdown in Hoover on Thursday, and they faced off against Montverde Academy from Florida. It was a pitcher’s duel through five innings and Cullman looked to finally get something going in the top of the sixth as they loaded the bases with two outs, but a ground out ended their chances of getting on the scoreboard in that inning. Zac Edwards led off the Bearcat seventh with a double and later scored on a Paxton Ponder single to make it 1-0, but Montverde Academy tied it up at one on a sacrifice fly to send the game into extra innings. Carter Gay scored on a passed ball to give Cullman a 2-1 lead, but an RBI groundout and a game-winning RBI single sealed the 3-2 win for Montverde Academy.
Ponder (one RBI) and Hayden Stancil each finished with two hits in the game for Cullman, while Edwards and Will Bradberry each collected a hit as well. The Bearcats will return home on Tuesday as they will face off against James Clemens.
Holly Pond 6 – Fairview 1 (Softball)
Holly Pond hosted Fairview in Thursday afternoon softball action and the Lady Broncos jumped on the Lady Aggies early in the first two innings. Madyson Rickman hit a sacrifice fly to put Holly Pond on the scoreboard and Addison Armstrong scored on a Lady Aggie error to make it 2-0. The Lady Broncos added two more runs in the bottom of the second as Samantha Giles scored on a passed ball and a Fairview error allowed Rebecca Bell to cross the plate to push their lead to 4-0. An RBI triple by Ayda Payne in the top of the fourth inning cut the Lady Aggie deficit to one at 4-1, but the Lady Broncos put up two more runs in the bottom of the sixth as Bell hit an RBI groundout and Giles scored on an error. Holly Pond ended up defeating Fairview, 6-1, as they also got a strong pitching performance from Emma Ray Spitzer.
Bell finished with a hit and an RBI for Holly Pond. Rickman added a pair of RBIs in the game. Giles finished a perfect three-for-three at the plate for the Lady Broncos and she also drew a walk in the contest. Armstrong, Kaylee Stallings, and Mattie Earl each ended up with a hit as well. Spitzer allowed just five hits, one run, and struck out 10 as she dominated the Lady Aggies from start to finish. For Fairview, Payne finished with two hits and an RBI. Emily Benson, Kaitlyn Benson, and Allison Davis each added a hit in the contest as well.
The Lady Broncos will host J.B. Pennington on Tuesday and the Lady Aggies will head back home to take on Vinemont on Monday.
Fairview 4 – Hayden 0 (Baseball)
Fairview got a great pitching performance from Crimson Wright and the Aggies scored some big runs late in the game as they picked up a huge shutout win at Hayden. After being shut out through four innings, Fairview’s bats came alive in the top of the fifth. Carson Jones drew a two-out walk and ended up scoring on a Caden Jennings RBI double. Jennings stole home to make it 2-0, and a Dalton Payne two-run home run in the sixth made it 4-0. That was all the run support that Wright would need as he pitched a four-hit shutout and struck out two in the win.
Payne finished with the two-run home run for Fairview and Jennings added a hit and an RBI as well. Lucas West ended up with a pair of hits and Martin chipped in with a hit as well. The Aggies will play Decatur Heritage in a doubleheader at home on Saturday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
West Point 11 – Good Hope 1 (Baseball)
West Point traveled to take on Good Hope in Thursday afternoon baseball action and it was all Warriors in this one as they put up 11 runs in the third through fifth innings in their 11-1 win over the Raiders.
Colton McCoy finished with two hits and four RBIs for West Point. Isaac Hoffpauir added a hit and three RBIs, while J.D. Cochran and Cade Simmons each finished with a hit and an RBI in the contest. For Good Hope, Eli Clements finished with their only RBI of the game. Paydon Bagwell, Colten Whatley, and Caden Drake each finished with a hit for the Raiders.
The Warriors will travel to Madison to take on Scottsboro Saturday night at 5:30 p.m., while the Raiders will travel to Bremen to take on Cold Springs Saturday morning at 11 a.m.
West Point 10 – Danville 0 (Softball)
West Point looked to improve to 7-1 on the season as they took on Danville at home. Carlie Wilkins and Braelee Quinn combined on a five-inning one-hitter and a huge third inning was key in the Lady Warriors’ shut out win over the Lady Hawks.
All but two West Point players finished with a hit and an RBI in the game, led by Wilkins, who finished with a two-run home run. Bethany Minck added three hits and an RBI. Macayla Wilkins, Brindlee Phillips, Quinn, and Sidney Burks each ended up with a pair of hits and an RBI. Nikki Tyree finished with a hit and an RBI as well. Wilkins struck out six in her three innings of work and Quinn pitched two hitless innings.
The Lady Warriors will travel to take on Holly Pond Monday.
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