WEEKEND PREPS: St. James wins JAG Bash softball tourney; MA kicks off track season with 'Race Against Hunger' meet

COMBINED REPORTS

SOFTBALL

St. James 4, Gulf Shores 1

The Trojans won the JAG Capital City Bash at Fain Park on Saturday, with Emily Needham holding Gulf Shores to a run on four hits while striking out 10 in the championship game.

Tat Shuford went 1 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored and Kaitlin Hudson went 1 for 2 with an RBI and a run scored to lead the Trojans.

Anayia McCutchen went 2 for 3 for the Dolphins and drove in a run.

St. James (5-0) will play host to JAG on Monday at 5 p.m.

St. James 4, Pike Road 0

Emily Needham pitched a one-hitter to lead the Trojans to a shutout of the Patriots in the semifinals of the JAG Capital City Bash on Saturday at Fain Park.

America Anderson blooped a single over second base for Pike Road’s only hit. Anna Williams took the loss in the circle for the Patriots (5-2), who play host to Prattville Christian on Tuesday at 5 p.m.

Needham went six innings, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out 10. Sydney Johnston went 2 for 2 and drove in two runs in the third to break a scoreless tie, Ava Stanford went 1 for 2 and scored a run and Tat Shuford went 1 for 3 and drove in a run for St. James (4-0).  

St. James 15, Dallas County 0 (3)

The Trojans opened bracket play in the JAG Capital City Bash with a 15-0 win over the Hornets as Aleigha Davis pitched a no-hitter in the quarterfinal game limited to three innings by the mercy rule on Saturday at Fain Park.

Davis pitched all three innings, allowing just a walk while striking out four. Emily Darby went 2 for 2 with a double and a triple, scoring twice and driving in four runs. Ava Stanford and Sydney Johnston both went 2 for 2 with a pair of RBIs and a pair of runs scored, while Lily Stanford went 1 for 1 with a triple, a run scored and two RBIs.

St. James (3-0) advanced to the semifinals of the tournament with the win.  

Pike Road 9, Brew Tech 4

Ameria Anderson homered twice and Haley Melton picked up her third win of the year in the circle as the Patriots defeated Brew Tech 9-4 in the quarterfinals of the JAG Capital City Bash at Fain Park on Saturday morning.

Melton pitched four innings, allowing just four hits and three earned runs while striking out two and walking one. Anna Williams pitched an inning of relief, giving up three hits and an earned run.

The Patriots (5-1) jumped on the Rams in the top of the first as Anderson singled and scored on Addison Belyeu’s two-run homer to center field. In the top of the third, Kennedy Cuthbert and Anderson hit back-to-back homers.

In the fourth inning, Cuthbert had a two-run single and Anderson followed with her second home run of the day. Kennedy Thompson had a double for Pike Road and Paisley Forshey added a single.

For Brew Tech, Taliah July homered in the fifth. Kyra Wallace suffered the loss, giving up nine runs, eight earned, in five innings of work while striking out 11 and walking one.

Pike Road 11, Maplesville 4

Paisley Forshey picked up the first varsity win of her career, helping the Patriots to an 11-4 win over the Red Devils in the opening round of the JAG Classic at Fain Park on Friday.

Forshey pitched three innings, giving up five hits and four runs while striking out one and walking four.

Forshey helped her own cause at the plate with a pair of hits. Kennedy Cuthbert, Ameria Anderson and Kelsey Williams also had two hits each, with Cuthbert hitting a home run. Ava Milton had three hits, including a home run and a double. Kennedy Thompson also had a double, while Addison Belyeu drove in three runs with sacrifice flies.

Kamylia Talley had two hits for Maplesville. Mollie Kayte Smith took the loss in the circle, giving up 13 hits and seven earned runs.

Gulf Shores 11, Pike Road 1

Gulf Shores’ Anna Leigh Price pitched a two-hitter while striking out seven batters to hand Pike Road its first loss of the season in an 11-1 setback in the JAG Classic on Friday.

Anna Williams took the loss, allowing nine runs, six earned, on seven hits while striking out three and walked one in 1.2 innings pitched. Abigail Olesen pitched two innings, giving up two runs on five hits while walking one.

Kennedy Cuthbert had a home run and Addison Belyeu singled for Pike Road’s two hits.  

St. James 17, Dallas County 0 (5)

Three St. James pitchers combined to pitch a no-hitter as the Trojans scored five runs in the first inning and closed out pool play with an eight-run fifth to defeat the Hornets in a five-inning contest in the JAG Capital City Bash at Fain Park on Friday.

Peyton Middleton (two innings), Aleigha Davis (one inning) and Ava Stanford (two innings) combined to strike out 12 and allowed just one walk in disposing of the Hornets.

Sydney Johnston went 3 for 4, scored three times and drove in four runs to lead the 11-hit attack. Lily Stanford went 2 for 4 with a double, scoring twice and driving in three runs, while Kaitlin Mitchell went 2 for 3, scoring a pair of runs and driving in another. Ava Stanford went 1 for 4 and scored three times.  

St. James 10, Opelika 0 (4)

The Trojans opened the 2024 softball season with a 10-0 shutout of the Bulldogs in the opening round of pool play at the JAG Capital City Bash on Friday at Fain Park.

Emily Needham went the distance, allowing just two hits and walking two while striking out nine in four innings of work.

Ava Stanford went 2 for 3, scored twice and drove in a pair of runs, Emily Darby went 1 for 2 with two RBIs, Tat Shuford went 2 for 2 with a double and two RBIs and Kaitlin Hudson went 2 for 2 and scored a pair of runs.

BASEBALL

Lee-Scott Academy 12, Bessemer Academy 2

ELMORE -- Haiden Harper went 2 for 2 with a triple and a home run to drive in five runs and help the Warriors to a 12-2 win over the Rebels in the championship game of the Edgewood Invitational on Saturday.

J.D. Burns added four RBIs, going 1 for 1 with a double and a run scored. Sam Jackson wet 1 for 2 with a triple and scored a pair of runs while Pelzer Reaves went 2 for 4 and scored a run.

Ethan Hardee and Brandon Martin combined on a two hitter. Hardee picked up the win, allowing two runs on two hits in three innings while walking three and striking out one. Martin pitched the final two innings of no-hit ball, striking out two.

Lee-Scott (5-1) returns home to play Calvary on Monday before returning to Elmore on Tuesday to play Edgewood at 6 p.m.  

Lee-Scott Academy 8, Edgewood Academy 3

ELMORE -- Jack McKay held the Wildcats to three runs over four innings and Sam Jackson and Brayden Butler each drove in a pair of runs as the Warriors advanced to the finals of the Edgewood Invitational with an 8-3 win over the host team on Saturday afternoon.

Jackson went 2 for 2 with a double, a pair of RBIs and a run scored and Butler went 1 for 1 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored for Lee-Scott (4-1). Garrett West went 1 for 2 with a double and an RBI while scoring twice.

McKay pitched four innings, allowing four hits and three runs while striking out six and walking one.

For Edgewood, Drew Allison went 1 for 2 and scored a run and Cooper Freeman went 1 for 2 and drove in a pair of runs. Hunter Reaves took the loss, allowing three hits and four runs while walking two and striking out two in two innings of work.

Macon East Academy 11, Lowndes Academy 0 (6)

ELMORE -- Gunner Justice and Jackson Todd each had three hits as the Knights scored three runs in the second inning and four more in the fifth to defeat the Rebels 11-0 in a game shortened to six innings by the 10-run mercy rule in the Edgewood Academy Tournament on Friday.

Justice went 3 for 4 with a triple, scored twice and drove in four runs to lead Macon East. Todd went 3 for 4 with a double, scored once and drove in two runs. Carter Hopson went 2 for 4, scoring twice and driving in a pair of runs.

Five Lowndes players had one hit each, including doubles by Zach Azar and Cooper Dansby.

Bryant Morrison pitched a five-hit shutout for the Knights, striking out six and walking none.

Bradyn Stokes took the loss, allowing six hits and five earned runs in three innings while striking out two and walking none. Reid Owen pitched the final three innings, giving up three earned runs on five hits while walking three and striking out two.

Montgomery Academy 4, Thorsby 1

THORSBY -- Montgomery Academy went on the road and captured a 4-1 win over the Rebels behind a dominant pitching performance by Will Hardin, who allowed just four hits and a run over six innings as he struck out eight batters.

Junior Oscar Fiore came in and closed out the game, surrendering just one hit and striking out three.

The Eagles were led at the plate by Parker Cook and Luke Jones who each had two hits. Cook finished with two RBIs. Andrew Hosein had a huge leadoff triple in the top of the sixth, scoring on Reid McBride’s RBI single for a 2-1 lead. Cook later had a two-run single to make it 4-1.

Montgomery Academy (2-1) travel to Pike County on Monday.

TRACK

MA boys, girls win Race Against Hunger meet to kick off outdoor season

Montgomery Academy kicked off the 2024 outdoor track and field season with the annual Race Against Hunger meet with a food drive benefiting the Heart of Alabama Food Bank. Both the boys and girls teams won, led by senior Isabella Johnson’s first-place finish in discus, shot put and javelin. Knda Bonner came in behind Johnson with second-place finishes in all three events. Johnson set a school record in discus with a throw of 113 feet, four inches.

Among the boys’ winners for Montgomery Academy were Knox Wingate in pole vault, Eli Jernigan in the 400-meter run, John Bennett Lester in javelin and Skyler Stovall in high jump. The 4x100-meter relay team of Jernigan, Aaron Aronov, Mac Benefield and Bobby Bradford finished first, as did the 4x800-meter relay team of Matt Cone, Jackson McIntyre, Price McLemore and Frank Williford.

Finishing second were Wingate (javelin), Benefield (pole vault), Cone (1600-meter run) and DJ Vinson (high jump). Finishing third were Charlie Adams (shot put), Bradford (400-meter run), Trey White (800-meter run) and Williford (1600-meter run).

Among the girls’ winners for Montgomery Academy were Sarah Elizabeth Casey in the high jump, Ashlyn Boswell in the 100-meter hurdles, Elle Ingram in 1600-meter run and Magan Link in pole vault. The 4x100-meter relay team of Boswell, Isabella Arnett, Bree Bennett and Tara Samant also won.

Finishing second were Bea Farley (1600-meter run) and Samant (400-meter run). Third-place finishers included Casey (300-meter hurdles), Farley (800-meter run), Arnett (400-meter run) and Maggie Whitt (discus).

Montgomery Academy returns to action on March 4 with Monday Madness.

GIRLS SOCCER

Montgomery Academy 2, Chelsea 1

Mary Elizabeth Cole’s goal with 3.7 seconds left broke a 1-1 tie and lifted the 6A Eagles over Class 7A Chelsea in a fiercely contested game at McLemore Field on Friday night.

Four minutes into the game, Kerstin Daniel scored with an assist from Lauren Jones to give Montgomery Academy an early 1-0 lead which held up for most of the game.

Chelsea tied the game with eight minutes left, setting up Cole’s game winner.

Montgomery Academy (3-1-1) will remain at home on Tuesday with a game against Enterprise at McLemore Field at 5 p.m.

BOYS SOCCER

Montgomery Academy 7, Park Crossing 0

The Eagles opened Class 6A Area 4 play on Friday with a 7-0 win over Park Crossing at McLemore Field.

Brewer Welch and Win Berry each scored a pair of goals in the game. The Eagles also had goals by Reeves Hall, John Allen Lachney and Jacob Stubblefield.

Goalkeeper Hampton Welch preserved the shutout.

Montgomery Academy (2-3) remains home for three more games, starting with 7A Enterprise on Tuesday at 7 p.m.