Baseball, softball teams find favorable results

Published 6:00 pm Wednesday, April 4, 2018

GREATER VALLEY AREA — Many local high school baseball and softball teams returned to the diamond on Tuesday after a spring break layoff. Here is a rundown of how each fared.

BEULAH

The Beulah High School softball team (6-2) improved to 4-0 in Class 3A, Area 6 play with an 18-2 win over Central Coosa. The game was shortened to three innings once the run rule came into effect. The Lady Bobcats plated eight runs in the first inning, five runs in the second inning and five runs in the third inning before the game was called.

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Madison Bryant and Kensley Taylor paced Beulah at the plate. Bryant went 4-for-4 with four runs scored and an RBI, while Taylor went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBIs.

Makayla Chambers (2-for-2, two runs scored, RBI), Sydney Knight (2-for-3, two runs scored) and Megan Ware (2-for-3, run scored) also recorded multiple hits.  Pitchers Eriona Huguley and Kensley Kirby dominated in the circle. They allowed only three total hits.

The Beulah baseball team also earned favorable results on Tuesday. The Bobcats secured their first area win of the season by beating Central Coosa, 6-2. The victory snapped a six-game losing streak.

Once that contest concluded, Beulah played Lanett in a makeup game. The meeting was originally scheduled for March but was canceled due to rain. The Bobcats vanquished the Panthers, 13-3, to improve their overall record to 10-12.

SPRINGWOOD SCHOOL

The Springwood School softball team swept a doubleheader against AISA area rival Lee-Scott Academy. The Lady Wildcats (11-12) won the first game, 7-6, in nine innings before sealing the second game, 4-2.

The Springwood baseball team, meanwhile, suffered a 5-2 loss to Lee-Scott. The Warriors scored the deciding runs in the sixth inning, when they broke a 2-2 stalemate.

Cam Hopkin (2-for-2, RBI), Ricky Simmons (2-for-3, RBI) and Preston Messer (2-for-4, run scored) led Springwood offensively.

Hopkin also performed well on the mound. He pitched the first five innings and limited Lee-Scott to only two runs on six hits. The Warriors had more success against Springwood’s Sam Bradfield, who allowed three hits and three runs in the sixth inning.

Springwood fell to 6-13 with the loss.

VALLEY

The Valley High School baseball team opened 5A, Area 5 play by walloping Booker T. Washington in a doubleheader. The Rams (13-10) won the first game, 13-3, and the second game, 20-1. Both contests were called in the fifth inning once the run rule came into effect.

The victories extended Valley’s win streak to five games.

Coby McDonald set the tone offensively in game one. He went 2-for-2 with four RBIs and two runs scored. In the bottom of the fourth inning, he hit a two-run home run. Eli Culpepper (2-for-4, two runs scored), Sam Henderson (2-for-4, RBI, run scored) and Chris Conner (2-for-2, three runs scored) also tallied multiple hits. Josh Bledsoe and Steven Coker added two RBIs apiece.

Starting pitcher Tyler Lott recorded 10 strikeouts and allowed five hits in a complete-game performance. Bledsoe, McDonald and Conner combined to throw a four-hitter in game two. Collectively, they totaled nine strikeouts.

McDonald also continued to deliver at the plate in the nightcap. He went 2-for-2 with four RBIs and three runs scored. Culpepper (3-for-5, three RBIs, two runs scored), Conner (2-for-2, two runs scored, RBI), Lott (1-for-3, three RBIs, two runs scored) and Daniel Osborne (1-for-2, two RBIs, two runs scored) supplemented McDonald’s production.

Lott crushed a two-run home run in the fourth inning. In total, 12 Rams connected for hits.