After winning three consecutive games last week, the Eagles stayed hot with a 4-0 record this week to bring their win streak to seven. On Monday, Alabama Christian defeated Catholic in a back and forth affair, 12-11. Thursday began a home and home with LAMP to start Area play. ACA handled the Golden Tigers easily with wins of 13-2, 11-1 and 10-0.
Alabama Christian began the week with a wild game at Catholic as the lead changed six times in a 12-11 win over the Knights. The Eagles used four pitchers and Hayes Hunt picked up the win in relief as he pitched the final two innings. ACA scored two runs in the top of the seventh to come from behind in the one-run victory. The Eagles loaded the bases with an error, a single and an intentional walk. JT Moorer and Thomas Stovall were hit in back-to-back at-bats to score the tying and winning runs. It was the third time Stovall had been hit in the contest and the second time with the bases loaded.
Hayes Hunt led the offense with a 3 for 5 day including a double and an RBI. Carson Horn and Landon Nelson each had two hits while Isaac Warrick scored three runs. Thomas Stovall drove in three runs and tied Reese Solar for the school record of most times to be hit in a game.
ACA made a strong statement against LAMP in game one of the series with five first inning runs. Preston Hicks got the scoring started with a single to center that scored Thomas Stovall. After a walk to Trey Schlemmer loaded the bases, the LAMP starter gave free passes to Hunter Barfoot and Carson Horn in consecutive at-bats for a 3-0 lead. Landon Nelson drove in the fourth run of the frame and the final run scored from an error on the same play to put the Eagles in command, 5-0. Alabama Christian scored three more in the second, highlighted by a two-run triple by Isaac Warrick and three more in the third as LAMP pitching walked three straight batters with the bases loaded for an 11-0 lead after three. Both teams scored two runs in the last two frames for the 13-2 final tally.
Three Eagles collected two hits in the contest as Isaac Warrick went 2 for 3 with a triple, four RBIs and two runs scored. Preston Hicks went 2 for 3 with two runs driven in and two runs scored while Hayes Hunt finished 2 for 4 with three runs scored. Hunter Barfoot drove in three runs while Thomas Stovall and Trey Schlemmer each scored tow runs. Barfoot picked up the win in relief as Warrick was pulled early so he could be used again later in the series.
Game two moved to ACA’s home field and again the Eagles pounced early with four runs in the first. Landon Nelson provided the key hit in the inning with a two-out, two-run single for a 4-0 advantage. After allowing an unearned run in the top of the third, the Eagles responded by scoring multiple runs in each of the next three innings for the 11-1 triumph. The final blow was a two-run single by Hayes Hunt that scored Nelson and JT Moorer.
Isaac Warrick picked up the win as he started for the Eagles for the second straight day. The lefty struck out 13 Tigers over five innings and allowed just two hits and one unearned run. At the plate, Hayes Hunt and Preston Hicks led the way with two hits and two runs scored each. Landon Nelson drove in three runs while Warrick and Hunter Barfoot each scored twice.
With the series won and only the tie-breaker game left, ACA’s bats started slowly in the final game against LAMP. Luckily, Hayes Hunt was putting up zeros on the mound and the game remained tied 0-0 going to the bottom of the third. In the bottom half, with two outs and a runner on first, seven consecutive Eagle batters reached safely and seven runs scored as the game was blown open. The first two runs were delivered by Trey Schlemmer’s single to left and the final two by Kellen Kendrick’s triple to center. With the game in hand, Hunt kept LAMP off the scoreboard and the Eagles beat the visitors by a 10-0 score.
Hayes Hunt and Trey Schlemmer led the team with two hits apiece. Four players, Schlemmer, Isaac Warrick, Hunter Barfoot and Kellen Kendrick, drove in two runs and three players, Hunt, Schlemmer and Preston Hicks scored two runs. Hunt got the win with five shutout innings as he allowed just one hit with five strikeouts.