CULLMAN, Ala. – The Cullman Bearcats secured the Area 13 championship during the regular season, so they were back home at Bill Shelton Field Friday night to host Hazel Green for the opening round of the 6A state playoffs. The Bearcats dominated game one 10-0 to take a 1-0 lead in the series and kept the momentum going in game two, handling the Trojans 12-0 and securing a spot in the second round. Cullman will face Pell City next week.
Cullman 10 – Hazel Green 0 (Game One)
The ‘Cats got off to a fast start in this one. Brooks Heatherly was hit by a pitch and Colter Bowen drew a walk to give Cullman a pair of runners in the bottom of the first. Two pitches later, Bennett Johnson ripped an RBI single to left field to plate Heatherly and make it a 1-0 game. Later in the inning, Tyler Brock singled to load the bases and Knox Mauldin drew a walk to bring in another run and make it 2-0.
Cooper Loftin kept the inning going with an RBI single to right field, putting Cullman ahead 3-0. Cale Graves then drew another walk with the bases loaded to push another run across the plate and Case Edwards lifted a sacrifice fly into center field to bring in another run and stretching the lead to 5-0. A few pitches later, Bowen lined a 2-run single back up the middle to give the Bearcats a commanding, 7-0 lead going into the second inning.
Cullman’s defense left seven Hazel Green runners stranded over the next four innings to preserve the lead and their bats put things away in the bottom of the fifth. Edwards laid down a sacrifice bunt to score Andew Au and make it an 8-0 game and just a few pitches later, Heatherly wrapped things up with a 2-run bomb over the right field wall to give the ‘Cats a 10-0 win in game one.
Loftin tossed five shutout innings to earn the win, allowing just two hits and striking out two batters. At the plate, Bowen (two hits), Heatherly (HR) and Edwards each recorded two RBIs.
Cullman 12 – Hazel Green 0 (Game Two)
After a scoreless first inning, Cullman took the lead in the top of the second. Carson Stancil singled to lead things off and Tyler Brock drew a walk to give the Bearcats a pair of runners. Cooper Loftin knocked an RBI double into right field to give Cullman a 1-0 lead and a sacrifice fly from Case Edwards scored Brock later in the inning to make it 2-0. Heatherly’s big night at the plate got even bigger a few pitches later when he drove a 3-run homer over the right field wall and put the ‘Cats on top 5-0 going into the third inning.
Bennett Johnson led off the top of the third with a double, Stancil was hit by a pitch and Tyler Brock singled to load the bases. Knox Mauldin took advantage of the scoring opportunity with a 2-run single, stretching the lead to 7-0. With the bases loaded later in the inning, Edwards was hit by a pitch to bring in Andrew Au and make it an 8-0 game. One pitch later, Heatherly ripped a 2-run single down the first base line to put Cullman in front 10-0. The big inning continued when Colter Bowen lined another 2-run single into right field and made it 12-0 going into the fourth.
After a scoreless fourth inning, the ‘Cats collected the final three outs in the bottom of the fifth to wrap up a 12-0 win and advance to round two.
Fysher Dahlke pitched five scoreless innings on the mound to earn the win, allowing just three hits and striking out five batters. At the plate, Heatherly finished with a pair of hits and led the way with five RBIs. Mauldin (one hit) and Bowen (one hit) each posted a pair of RBIs as well.
Vinemont 19 – Randolph County 2 (Game Three)
After splitting their first two games with Randolph County on Thursday, the Eagles dominated the rubber match on Friday. A 2-run single from Jake Hale, an error, a bunt single from Rylan McRae and a sacrifice bunt by Tucker Mauter allowed Vinemont to take a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
The Eagles wasted no time adding to their lead, putting the game out of reach in the bottom of the second. An RBI single from Josh Rhodes made it a 6-1 game and Rhodes came around to score on a wild pitch later in the inning to make it 7-1. That’s when McRae blasted a grand slam over the fence in left field, putting Vinemont on top 11-1. An error allowed two more runs to score later in the inning and an RBI double off the bat of Rhodes drove in another run to make it 14-1. Hayden Robinson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it a 15-1 game and just a few pitches later, McRae lined a 2-run single into center field to give the Eagles a 17-1 advantage. Vinemont tacked on two more runs with back to back singles from Rush Sandlin and Mauter, stretching the lead to 19-1 going into the third inning.
After a scoreless third inning, the Tigers pushed one run across in the top of the fourth to trim the lead to 19-2 but that was the final run of the game and the Eagles punched their ticket to round two with a dominant, 19-2 performance in game three.
McRae finished 4-for-4 at the plate and racked up a game-high seven RBIs. Rhodes (two hits), Mauter (one hit) and Kayden Henderson (one hit) each added a pair of RBIs as well.
Vinemont will face Phil Campbell in the second round next week.
Lawrence County 6 – Fairview 3 (Game One)
After a scoreless first inning, Fairview took the lead in the top of the second when Jaxson Robertson knocked an RBI double into left field, plating Colton Jennings and putting the Aggies ahead 1-0. Fairview added to its lead in the third. Connor Scott lined an RBI double to left field to drive in Lincoln Wright and make it a 2-0 game. Just a few pitches later, Camden Cullen lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to score Scott and make it 3-0.
However, Lawrence County was able to put one run on the board in the bottom of the third to trim the lead to 3-1 and after a scoreless fourth inning, the Red Devils strung together four hits and plated four runs in the bottom of the fifth to move in front 5-3. Lawrence County was able to add one more run in the sixth inning and Fairview was unable to answer the late push from the Red Devils, falling in game one 6-3.
Jennings led the Aggies with two hits in the loss and Robertson (one RBI), Wright and Scott each added a hit as well.
Lawrence County 12 – Fairview 3 (Game Two)
The Red Devils got off to a fast start in game two, plating five runs in the top of the first. The Aggies answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. Lincoln Wright and Connor Scott walked and Camden Cullen singled up the middle to load the bases. A balk allowed Wright to score and Scott scored on a fielder’s choice a few pitches later to make it a 5-2 game going into the second inning.
Runs were hard to come by after that, as both teams combined for just three hits over the next four innings to leave the score where it was. Neither team was able to get on the board in the sixth inning either but in the top of the seventh, a solo home run from the Red Devils stretched the lead to 6-2 and Lawrence County was able to extend its lead to 12-2 by the end of the inning. Wright scored on a wild pitch to trim the lead to 12-3 in the bottom of the seventh, but the Aggies were unable to chip away any more than that and their season came to an end with a 12-3 loss to the Red Devils.
Cullen and Scott each recorded a hit in the loss and Jackson Earnest added an RBI.
Madison County 5 – Good Hope 2 (Game One)
Good Hope struck first to lead off the game. Carter Rutherford hit a leadoff single and later that inning, a fielder’s choice moved him over to third. Carter Naramore hit a sacrifice fly to give the Raiders a 1-0 lead. Madison County got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second, as an error and a two-run home run with two outs gave them a 3-1 lead. The Tigers made it 5-1 in the fourth on an RBI single and a stolen base. Myles Johnson led off the Raider seventh with a single, then a sacrifice bunt and an error moved him over to third. Three pitches later, Johnson scored on a passed ball to cut it to 5-2. They wouldn’t get any closer after and they ended up falling to Madison County in game one, 5-2.
Carter Naramore drove in a run for Good Hope. Myles Johnson added a pair of hits, while Rutherford, Nash Landon, Parker Johnson, Caden Drake, and Case Naramore all collected a hit of their own in the loss.
Madison County 16 – Good Hope 3 (Game Two)
Both teams started out Game Two strong offensively. A three-run home run by Madison County gave them an early 3-0 lead to start out the game, but Good Hope responded in their half. Carter Rutherford drew a leadoff walk, and Nash Landon lined a double to center field to put runners on second and third with nobody out. Parker Johnson hit the first pitch he saw into center field for a two-run single to cut it to 3-2.
The Tigers hit a two-run double and a two-run single in the top of the second to put them ahead 7-2. They added two more runs in the top of the third to make it 9-2. A passed ball in the fourth gave Madison County a 10-2 lead, but Myles Johnson scored on an error in the Raider half of the fourth to cut it to 10-3.
The Tigers, though, countered with six runs in the top of the fifth to make it 16-3, and Good Hope couldn’t answer in their half. The Raiders’ season came to an with a 16-3 loss to Madison County. Johnson finished with a pair of hits and two RBIs for Good Hope.
Mason Drake added a pair of hits, while Nash Landon and Blake Cordes each ended up with a hit of their own in the loss.
Red Bay 16 – Cold Springs 2 (Game One)
Red Bay hit an RBI double in the bottom of the first inning to give them the early lead. Cold Springs got on the scoreboard in the top of the second. Lindan Hill hit a one-out double and later scored on an error to tie the game up at one. The Tigers, though, hit an RBI single in their half to break the tie and take a 2-1 lead.
Their lead continued to grow after that, as a two-run home run in the third made it 4-1. Red Bay broke the game wide open in the fourth, as they put up 12 runs in the inning to stretch their lead to 16-1. Elijah Cole scored on an error in the top of the seventh to make it 16-2, but the Eagles couldn’t cut into the deficit any more after that, and they ended up dropping game one to the Tigers 16-2.
Mason Gable collected a pair of hits for Cold Springs while Hill and Cole each added a hit of their own in the loss.
Red Bay 10 – Cold Springs 0 (Game Two)
Game Two started out as a pitcher’s duel through the first two innings, but Red Bay’s offense exploded in the top of the third. They batted around and scored seven runs to take a 7-0 lead. The Tigers added a run in the fourth and the fifth to make it 9-0. A wild pitch in the sixth made it 10-0, and Cold Springs went down in order in their half. The Eagles’ season came to an end at the hands of Red Bay, 10-0.
Elijah Cole recorded the only hit of the game for Cold Springs.
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