PREP POST SEASON: Tallassee ends playoff drought with first-round win over Valley

COMBINED REPORTS

BASEBALL

Tallassee 0-5-15, Valley 1-3-9

VALLEY - The Tigers, making their first post-season appearance since 2018, beat Valley in the best-of-three series to advance to the second round.

Tallassee (12-13) won at Valley (14-10) in the decisive Game 3 on Saturday, 15-9 after jumping out to a 13-0 cushion. With a seven-run fifth-inning rally, the Rams avoided the mercy rule.

On Friday, Tallassee lost a 1-0 pitcher's dual with Auburn commit Jackson Sanders facing the Tigers' Jackson Rhodes. The Tigers bounced back with a 5-3 victory behind the arm of Brady Mason in the second game to force Saturday's rubber match. Brue Milner drove in five runs with a 2-for-4 day at the plate.

Tallassee had 13 hits on Saturday. Mason, Chase Chumley, Cade Everson and Thomas Lemmond joined Milner with a pair each. Brody Goodman allowed two runs in three innings on the mound.

On Friday, Mason Stewart had two hits in the doubleheader. Everson also had two hits in the twinbill.

Valley got the only run in the opener in the bottom of the sixth breaking the scoreless tie. Rhodes scattered five hits striking out five and walking three over six innings. Sanders threw a complete-game two-hitter with 13 strikeouts and no walks.

In the nightcap, the Tigers grabbed the early 2-0 lead in the second after an RBI groundout off the bat of Lemmond and a Valley error. The Rams went ahead 3-2 in the fourth but Tallassee answered on a fielder's choice RBI by Milner to tie it. A couple more Valley errors led to two more runs in the fifth for a 5-3 Tallassee lead. Mason retired 10 of the last 13 Valley batters. He pitched seven innings giving up three earned runs with five strikeouts and one walk.

The Tigers will face St. Paul’s with a doubleheader scheduled for Friday in Tallassee. First game is set for 5 p.m.

American Christian 6, Catholic 4

TUSCALOOSA -- Caleb Morrison’s two-run homer in the fifth inning rallied the Patriots from a 4-3 deficit and lifted American Christian Academy to a 6-4 win over Catholic in the third game of the best-of-three series in the first round of the 4A state playoffs on Friday afternoon.

American Christian (20-15) will remain home to face T.R. Miller in the second round of the state playoffs. Catholic ends the season at 21-12.

Jayden Phifer started on the mound for the Knights, allowing three runs on four hits in 1.1 innings. Andrew Noell came in and pitched 4.2 innings in relief and took the loss.   

Noell’s RBI single helped Catholic tie the game at 3-3 in the fourth inning and the Knights took the lead an inning later on a Hudson Parrish homer.

Kam Miller led the Knights on offense, going 2 for 3, while Eric Hines went 3 for 3 to lead the ACA offense.

Morrison picked up the win on the mound for the Patriots, holding the Knights to five hits over seven innings while striking out three.

Abbeville Christian 12, Lowndes Academy 7

Connor Jones homered and added a single to lead Abbeville Christian to a win over the Rebels.
Hussey and Clay Duncan had two hits to lead Lowndes Academy. Duncan, Walker Mcqueen, and Grant Casey, erach had RBIs. Lowndes had nine hits in the game.
Lowndes will open the AISA Class A playoffs at home against North River later this week. Times will be announced later.

SOFTBALL

Calera 6, Pike Road 3

MILLBROOK -- Isabella Overton drove in two runs on a groundout in the sixth inning to break a 3-3 tie and lift Calera to a 6-3 win over Pike Road in the championship game of the Stanhope Elmore tournament on Saturday.

Pike Road was held to four hits, one each by Kennedy Cuthbert, Mary Hayden Hargrove, Kelsey Williams and Kaelin Perdue.

Haley Melton started the game in the circle for the Patriots, lasting just 2.1 innings. Perdue took the loss, pitching the final 3.2 innings.

Pike Road 10, Dale County 2 

MILLBROOK -- Kaelin Perdue pitched a four-hitter, limiting Dale County to a pair of runs in a five-inning victory in the semifinals of the Stanhope Elmore tournament on Saturday.

Addison Belyeu got the Patriot offense rolling early with a two-run double in the first. Pike Road broke open the game as Perdue, Haley Melton and Kelsey Williams all delivered RBI hits.   

Calera 10, Prattville 7

MILLBROOK -- The Lions’ offense was hot but could not overcome errors in the field that allowed Calera to pull out a 10-7 win in the semifinals of the Stanhope Elmore tournament on Saturday.

Kylie Jarman went 3 for 3 and scored two runs and Kaylee Robles went 1 for 2 with a home run, driving in two runs to lead the Prattville offense. Sarah Grace Jones went 2 for 2, scoring a run and driving in another, Kaytie Chandler went 1 for 3 with a run scored, Kennedy Crum went 1 for 3 with a double, driving in a pair of runs, Laci Jackson went 2 for 2 and Maddie Putteet went 1 for 3 with a double and an RBI.

Chandler took the loss, going three innings and giving up eight runs, two earned, on just two hits. Jones pitched two innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out two.

Prattville (21-19) returns to action on Thursday at home at 5 p.m. against Wetumpka for Senior Night.

Pike Road 12, Stanhope Elmore 2

MILLBROOK -- Kennedy Cuthbert singled in the first, homered in the second, singled in the fourth and doubled in the fifth to lead the Patriots to a 12-2 win over the host team in the quarterfinals of the Stanhope Elmore tournament on Saturday morning.

Kayla Bester added an RBI single in the first inning and doubled in the fifth, while Addison Belyeu homered in the fifth.

Ansley Olesen picked up the win in the circle, allowing two runs on three hits over 4.2 innings. Christina Juarez came in to get the game’s final out.

Prattville 3, Marbury 2

MILLBROOK -- Kylie Jarman pitched the Lions to a win and Kaytie Chandler secured the save in a 3-2 win over Marbury in the quarterfinals of the Stanhope Elmore tournament on Saturday.

The pair were hot at the plate as well, with Jarman going 2 for 3 with a double, a run scored and an RBI, while Chandler went 1 for 2 with a double, a run scored and an RBI. Zarria Bozeman went 1 for 2 and Zandia Bozeman went 1 for 1 and scored a run in the win.

Jarman allowed just three hits and two runs over five innings, striking out four. Chandler pitched the sixth inning for the save, striking out one.

Pike Road 4, Marbury 1

MILLBROOK -- Kaelin Perdue allowed just five hits and one run in six innings to help the Patriots to a 4-1 win over the Bulldogs in the second round of the Stanhope Elmore tournament on Friday.

Kennedy Cuthbert homered for the Patriots in the fifth inning and Addison Belyeu homered for Pike Road in the sixth inning.

Skylar Barks took the loss for the Bulldogs in the circle, allowing four runs on six hits in six innings.

Calera 7, Pike Road 4

MILLBROOK -- Calera scored three runs in the first and added four more in the fourth to open play in the Stanhope Elmore tournament with a 7-4 win over Pike Road on Friday.

Kaelin Perdue cut into the Calera lead with a two-run home run for the Patriots in the sixth inning, but Pike Road could get no closer. Addison Belyeu and Haley Melton led the Patriots with two hits each.

Melton took the loss in the circle, allowing seven runs on four hits in 3.1 innings pitched while striking out two.

Kinley Rogers picked up the win, allowing four runs on seven hits over six innings while striking out two.

Prattville 8, Dale County 0

MILLBROOK -- Kaytie Chandler allowed just three hits while striking out four in six innings of work as the Lions shut out Dale County in the second round of the Stanhope Elmore tournament on Friday.

The Lions got an offensive spark from Mady Cate Lindsey, who went 3 for 3 with a double, a run scored and a pair of RBIs, while Kylie Jarman went 2 for 3 with a double and a run scored, Kaylee Robles went 1 for 3 with a pair of runs scored, Sarah Grace Jones went 1 for 3 with an RBI, Chandler went 1 for 3 with an RBI, Zarria Bozeman went 2 for 3 with a pair of RBIs, Kennedy Crum went 1 for 2 and Maddie Putteet went 1 for 2 with an RBI.

Prattville 13, Russell County 0

MILLBROOK -- Sarah Grace Jones and Ellie Davis combined to hold Russell County to one hit in four innings as the Lions opened play in the Stanhope Elmore tournament with a 13-0 win on Friday.

Jones struck out seven and allowed one hit in three innings of work, while Davis pitched the fourth inning to close out the game.

Kylie Jarman went 2 for 3 with a pair of runs scored and a pair of RBIs, Zarria Bozeman went 1 for 2 with a triple and scored twice, Kaytie Chandler had three RBIs and Jodie Gentry went 1 for 2 with a double and drove in a pair of runs.

Brewbaker Tech 10, Charles Henderson 0 (5)

The Lady Rams closed out the regular season at home with Senior Night on Thursday in a 10-0 win over Charles Henderson that allowed the Rams to close out 5A Area 4 play unbeaten.

Taniyah Brown picked up win number 29 on the season, pitching a one-hitter over five innings while striking out nine.

At the plate, each of the first six Lady Rams picked up a hit in the game, but the Rams also took advantage of several costly errors by the Trojans to end the game on the mercy rule. Khamiyah Brown hit her 13th home run of the season and had two RBIs on the night. Gabbie York, JaQuayla Jarrett, Taniyah Brown and Peyton Garrett all had at least one RBI as well.

The Lady Rams will play again on Tuesday at Wetumpka and then will participate in the Tallassee Round Robin on Thursday and Friday.

BOYS SOCCER

Tuscaloosa Academy 1, Prattville Christian 0

TUSCALOOSA -- The Knights completed the season area sweep of the Panthers, shutting out PCA 1-0 on Friday.

GIRLS SOCCER

Tuscaloosa Academy 10, Prattville Christian 0
TUSCALOOSA -- The Knights completed the season sweep of the Panthers, shutting them out for the second time in two meetings this season.

PCA (10-4-1) dropped to 2-2 in area play with both losses to TA. PCA will travel to play Saint James in the first round of the playoffs.

BOYS TENNIS

St. James cruising through 1A-3A bracket after first day

MOBILE -- All six Trojans will play for individual state championships on Tuesday, while all three St. James’ doubles teams reached the finals of the 1A-3A state tournament.

St. James, with 42 points, has a commanding 24-point lead over Indian Springs and Alabama School of Cyber Technology, which are tied for second place with 18 points.

In singles, St. James’ Toba Rios advanced to the finals at No. 1, where he will face Decatur Heritage’s Michael Vandiver on Tuesday. At No. 2, Joshua Harvey will play ASCTE’s Elliott Storey, at No. 3 Danny Trock will face Indian Springs’ Fritz Mann, at No. 4 Ryan Leong will play Covenant Christian’s Zach Bell, at No. 5 Jason Jeong will face Covenant Christian’s Jake Hall and at No. 6, Grayson Eaves will play Indian Springs’ Henry Wilder.  

In doubles, Rios-Harvey will face Faith Christian’s Elijah Mitchell and Joshua Goode at No. 1 on Tuesday; Trock-Ryan Jeong will play ASCTE’s Storey and Buddy Watson at No. 2 and Eaves-Jason Jeong will face Providence Christian’s Whit Rickard and Creel Capps at No. 3.

Trinity in third place after first day of 6A tournament

MOBILE -- Five of the six Wildcat singles players and two of the three doubles teams are still alive in the chase for a state championship as the 6A state tennis tournament heads into its final day on Tuesday.

Homewood’s 38-point total leads Mountain Brook by one point, followed by Trinity with 28 points, Spanish Fort with 23 and Hartselle with 19.

At No. 1, Trinity’s Timothy Hornsby will face Northridge’s Will Thorn in the quarterfinals, No. 3 James Treadwell will battle St. Paul’s Anders Trice in the semifinals, No. 4 Hudson Cornett will face Mountain Brook’s Guy Mitchell in the semfinals, No. 5 Trevor Wilson will play Homewood’s Sam Housman in the semifinals and No. 6 Charlie Franklin will face Spanish Fort’s Jacob Thorn in the second round.  

Trinity’s Samuel Treadwell lost to Mountain Brook’s Connor Jenkins at No. 2 singles in the first round.

In doubles, Samuel and James Treadwell will play Cullman’s Eli Chaney and Bennett Cabri in the No. 1 quarterfinals, and Wilson and Grant Speagle will face Hartselle’s Cade Simmons and Zeke Priola in the No. 3 semifinals.

At No. 2, Hornsby-Cornett lost to Mountain Brook’s Logan Woodall-Jenkins in the second round.

GIRLS TENNIS

Lauderdale County leads St. James in 1A-3A after first day

MOBILE -- St. James placed three players in the finals on Tuesday, along with a doubles team that could help the Trojans overtake first-day leader Lauderdale County in the 1A-3A state tennis tournament.

Lauderdale County leads the tournament with 38 points, followed by St. James with 28 and Providence Christian with 21.

The Trojans will have two head-to-head battles with Lauderdale County in the finals, with St. James’ Addison Seale facing Sara Childress in No. 6 singles and Raleigh Court and Davis Wilsford facing Childress and Anna Paige Davis in No. 3 doubles.

Other Trojans reaching the finals includes Stella Sponseller, who will face Indian Springs’ Elizabeth Trembly-Loy at No. 2, and Karly Bailey, who will play Providence Christian’s Owen Thompson at No. 3.

At No. 1, St. James’ Reilly Taylor lost to Lauderdale County’s Jilly Tanner in the semifinals; at No. 4, Bailey Woods lost to Mars Hill Bible’s Lauren Roberson in the first round; and at No. 5, Wilsford lost to Lauderdale County’s Mallory McConnell in the semifinals.

In doubles, Sponseller-Bailey at No. 1 and Taylor-Seale at No. 2 both lost in the semifinals.

Trinity in three-way tie for sixth in 6A tournament

MOBILE -- Two Wildcats have reached Tuesday’s semifinals of the 6A state tennis tournament, with Aniston Skipworth facing Mountain Brook’s Mary Neale Polk at No. 4 and Sally Warren facing Northridge’s Alexandra Salekin at No. 5.

Decatur and Mountain Brook are tied for the lead with 42 points each, followed by St. Paul’s Episcopal (29), Northridge (26) and Gardendale (17). Three teams are tied for sixth place with 15 points, including Hartselle, McGill-Toolen and Trinity.

Among the other Trinity players, Kingsley Johns at No. 3 and Henlee Gunter at No. 6 lost in the second round, while No. 1 Margaret Roby and No. 2 Kensley Williamson both lost in the first round.

In doubles, Warren and Reese Patterson lost in the second round at No. 3, while Johns-Skipworth lost at No. 1 in the first round and Williamson-Roby lost at No. 2 in the first round.

Only one Pike Road player, Naye Yeo at No. 4, reached the second round. Emma Jane Stricklin, Ella Clark, Rose Lucas, Grayson Nolen and Matilyn Pope all lost in the first round. In doubles, Stricklin-Clark lost at No. 1 in the second round, while Lucas-Pope at No. 2 and Nolen-Yeo at No. 3 lost in the first round.

BOYS SOCCER

Catholic 3, Prattville Christian 3

PRATTVILLE -- Will Belsterling, Gabe Russo and Joe Reeves scored goals for the Knights in the first half before the Panthers rallied with three goals of their own in the second half to force a 3-3 tie at Panther Stadium on Monday night.

Henry Skala had a pair of assists for Catholic, while Todd Bonnell added one assist.

PCA dropped to 6-10-1 with the tie, while Catholic (14-5-2) returns home to play host to Pike Road on Tuesday for Senior Night before traveling to Daphne for the first round of the 4A state playoffs at Bayside Academy next Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

SOFTBALL

Pike Road 8, Oak Mountain 4

MONTEVALLO -- The Patriots rallied from an early deficit with five runs in the fourth inning to defeat Oak Mountain on Monday at the University of Montevallo softball field.

Kennedy Cuthbert drew a bases-loaded walk, America Anderson followed with a two-run single and Kayla Bester added a two-run double to help the Patriots gain the lead.

Kaelin Perdue, on in relief of starter Haley Melton, pitched the final six innings, allowing no runs on three hits.

Melton went 3 for 4 to lead the Pike Road offense. Bester and Kelsey Williams each had a pair of hits.

Pike Road (26-15) returns home to play Beauregard on Thursday.