The Eagles drew the top team in the Area for their first series of the year. PCA won the Area last year and advanced to the State quarterfinals. This year their sights are set higher as they were able to add a senior transfer from Stanhope Elmore, who is now their best player, to help them chase the blue map.
Although PCA was favored to win the series, the start of game one on Thursday gave the Eagles some hope. Jackson McGuire took the mound for the first game and should have gotten out of the first inning on just six pitches. Unfortunately, the first pitch of the game was misplayed in the outfield which meant after six pitches, PCA had a runner on first with two outs. The visitors made ACA pay for the extra out as they scored twice with two outs and added twenty extra pitches to McGuire’s pitch count. Alabama Christian tied the game in the bottom of the second. Teilan Long led off with a double followed by Alex Heilman getting hit by pitch. With two outs, Brtson Dabney hit a flare to right that scored both runners. Neither team scored in the third or fourth innings as both pitchers settled in. In the top of the fifth, PCA finally broke through and the Eagles could not stop it. The Panthers sent 16 man to the plate in an 11-run frame to blow the game open. ACA was unable to score in the bottom half and the game was over. What was a pitcher’s duel after four turned into a run-rule victory in a single inning.
Bryson Dabney finished the game 1 for 2 and drove in the only two runs of the game. Mac Moorer, Jackson McGuire, and Teilan Long each had a hit. McGuire took the loss and although the final stat line did not look great, he really just had the one rough inning where he ran out of gas after throwing over 100 pitches.
Games two and three were held at PCA on Friday. The home team saved its new ace for game two. The PA booth opened the game playing “Hells Bells” which seemed out of place for two Christian schools. To say the home crowd was into the game would be a huge understatement. Every pitch was like game seven of the World Series and just like little league the Panther players had coaches on the field and in the stands. PCA did not run-rule the Eagles in game two but was in command from the outset. The Panthers scored in each of the first four innings to build an 8-0 lead. The score remained the same until the end as the home team got the shutout victory. In an unrelated story, Stanhope Emore lost to Hueytown on Friday.
Jackson McGuire, Teilan Long, and Bryson Dabney collected the team’s three hits. McGuire was the only player to reach twice as he also drew a walk. Cam Sutton got the loss as he and Mason Roosendaal split the pitching duties.
With the series in hand, PCA felt so good about themselves they didn’t even bother to redraw the batter’s box for the second game of the night. I’m not sure I have ever seen a church league softball game not have a batter’s box much less a varsity baseball game. The Panthers scored four in the first which would end up being enough runs for the win. ACA responded in the second as Mason Roosendaal pulled a ball down the left field line for a double that drove in Teilan Long and Alex Heilman. In the top of the fifth, the Eagles trimmed the lead to one run as Jackson Burton delivered a two-out single to right that scored Mac Moorer. Although the series was already decided, a palpable nervousness could be felt from the PCA faithful. The home team answered with a run of their own to make the score 5-3 after five. ACA did get the tying run on base in the seventh but could not score.
Jackson Burton, Teilan Long, Alex Heilman, and Mason Roosendaal each had hits in the game. Long was the only Eagle to get a hit in each game of the series. Mac Moorer got the loss as he pitched the full six innings with seven strikeouts.