Alabama Christian Slips Past Trinity in Close Game

What a great way to start a busy week full of games. The Eagles hosted Trinity Monday afternoon and defeated the visitors, 5-4. ACA took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth and held the Wildcats off in the seventh for the win.

Landon Nelson faced the minimum in the first as he picked off the Trinity runner at first to end the inning. In the second, Trinity loaded the bases with the help of two hit batsmen and scored twice to take the early lead. David Ortiz-Ramirez got Alabama Christian on the board with a two-out single in the bottom half to cut the score to 2-1. The Wildcats got the run back on a controversial call at home to regain the two-run advantage. With a runner on second and one out, Preston Hicks fielded a grounder up the middle and threw to first for the out, but the runner at second did not stop at third and headed for home. The throw from Hayes Hunt beat the runner home, but the runner jumped over catcher Jud Graham and was called safe by the umpire even though it appeared Graham tagged him on the leg.

In the fourth inning, Ari Bowman grounded out and drove in Landon Nelson to cut the lead to 3-2. In the fifth, the Eagles tied the score without the benefit of a hit. With one out Hayes Hunt bunted and reached on a throwing error which allowed him to advance to second as the ball rolled past the first baseman. As the two players came together at first, Hunt inadvertently kicked the glove off the first baseman’s hand into right field. After Mac Moorer was hit by a pitch for a second time, Preston Hicks reached base after another Wildcat error. Hunt scored from second on the play to tie the game, 3-3. 

In the sixth inning, Trinity got very aggressive at the plate as the first two hitters hit singles on just three pitches. On the fourth pitch, both runners advanced on a passed ball. The next three outs were recorded on only three pitches. Unfortunately for ACA one of the outs was a sac fly that gave the Wildcats a one-run lead. In the home half, the Eagles scored twice without a hit. Ari Bowman walked to start the inning and was sacrificed to second by William Milner. David Ortiz-Ramirez was hit by a pitch and Hayes Hunt walked to load the bases with one out. Mac Moorer was hit for a single game-record third time to tie the score at four. After a pitching change, Preston Hicks drew a walk to give ACA the lead. Landon Nelson climbed the hill one more time for the seventh inning and looked to seal the win for the Eagles. Although two runners reached, Nelson coaxed three infield popups out of Trinity for the victory.

Landon Nelson pitched a complete game gem as he struck out three over seven innings. Nelson was one of only two Eagles to hit get a hit. Mac Moorer became the third player ever to be hit three times in a game. Moorer, Preston Hicks, Ari Bowman and David Ortiz-Ramirez each drove in a run.

ACA plays at Catholic Tuesday afternoon for their next game. 

Eagles Lose Close One to Elmore County

After a rainout on Thursday, ACA closed out the week with a contest against Elmore County in the FCA/Jason Armstrong tournament. Once again, the Eagles got good starting pitching and solid defensive play, but the bats continued to struggle. Alabama Christian had chances to tie it up late in the game but came up just short in the 3-4 defeat.

Starter Hayes Hunt set down the Panthers with just six pitches in the first inning and posted another zero in the second. ACA had multiple runners on base in each of the first three innings, but could not plate a run. Elmore County scored three in the bottom of the third for the first runs of the game. The Eagles answered in the fourth with a two-out single from Hunt to score William Milner and again in the fifth as Hunter Barfoot scored on a dropped third strike.

Elmore County hit back-to-back doubles to open their half of the fifth to make the score 4-2. Neither team scored in the sixth which meant ACA needed two runs to extend the game in the final inning. The frame began with a Preston Hicks walk and Hunter Barfoot thought he did too on four straight balls, but the umpire said it was just 3-0 and made Hicks go back to first even though he should have been awarded the base because it was a live ball. Luckily, Barfoot walked on the next pitch and the Panther reliever was pulled from the game. However, the new pitcher lasted for only one batter and was pulled after another walk. With the bases loaded and no outs, ACA looked poised to tie the game, at a minimum, but managed just one run and fell by the final score of 3-4.

Hunter Barfoot led the offense with two hits in three at-bats with a walk. Hayes Hunt and Jud Graham each collected a hit with an RBI in the contest. Hunt picked up the loss but had a strong outing with seven strikeouts with just one walk over six innings.

Alabama Christian will be busy next week with four games. The week will start with a visit from Trinity on Monday.

ACA Drops Opener in Armstrong Tournament

There’s more than one way to get a batter out and two contrasting methods were on display as ACA tangled with Stanhope Elmore in the opening game of the FCA Jason Armstrong Tournament. Starting pitcher, Hunter Barfoot used movement and change of speeds while the hurler for the Mustangs tried to throw it through his catcher on almost every pitch. Barfoot matched zeroes for four innings although the score read 1-0 in favor of Stanhope. The Mustangs were the beneficiary of a blown call at first in the third which resulted in their first run. If umpires were assessed runs for bad calls, the first run of the game would have been charged to the one in the field. In the fifth, Stanhope Elmore hit two solo shots to extend the lead to 3-0.

Neither team recorded a hit until the botched call at first which produced the first safety of the game for the Mustangs. The Eagle’s bats were silenced by the opposing pitcher as the Eagles never had more than one base runner on in an inning. ACA only had two real shots to score but came up empty both times. In the second inning, Ari Bowman was hit by a pitch and after a stolen base was moved to third on a groundout by Jud Graham. Next, William Milner hit a grounder to second, but with the infield playing in, Bowman was thrown out at the plate. In the sixth, and trailing by three runs, Hunter Barfoot singled to right with two outs, but Landon Nelson was thrown out at home to end the inning.

In a game where pitching and defense were going to have to shine, Alabama Christian played their best game of the year. However, the bats could not match the strong pitching performance of the Mustangs. Hunter Barfoot pitched five innings with two strikeouts and had the team’s only hit on the day. Mac Moorer pitched a scoreless sixth in relief. Eight different fielders recorded outs in the contest with just one error.

Alabama Christian will next play Holtville Thursday evening at Riverwalk Stadium. 

Alabama Christian Steamrolls Jeff Davis in Saturday Afternoon Contest

ACA played a rare non-tournament matinee game against Jeff Davis on Saturday. The two foes met Tuesday and the result was the same in Saturday’s matchup. The Eagles won easily 19-1 as they visited Peter Crump Field. The nineteen runs were the most scored by ACA since 2013. The Volunteer pitchers allowed a bevy of runners as they walked ten men and hit seven more.

Despite the lopsided final score, the game was tied 1-1 after an inning. Hayes Hunt scored from third on a wild pitch and Jeff Davis doubled a runner in for their only run of the day. In the second inning, the visitors scored five runs highlighted by a Hunt hit that drove in a run. The other four runs scored on an error, a groundout, another error and a wild pitch. After Preston Hicks pitched a three up, three down second inning, ACA scored five more runs in the third. Six of the first eight batters reached base via a hit by pitch or a walk. Jud Graham drove in the final run of the frame with a single up the middle that scored Mac Moorer.

Hicks struck out the side in the third as Jeff Davis finally made it all the way through the batting order. With a comfortable lead, Alabama Christian swung the bat freely in the fourth and scored eight more runs in the process. Hayes Hunt, Landon Nelson and Ari Bowman each had run-producing hits to stretch the lead to 14-1. Jackson McGuire was hit by a pitch with the bases juiced for the team’s fifteenth run. William Milner and David Ortiz-Ramirez knocked in two more runs while Kaleb Hopkins and Mac Moorer drove in runs with a walk and a hit by pitch, respectively. Bowman took the hill to close out the game and was effectively wild with two hit batters of his own and three strikeouts.

Preston Hicks earned the win on the mound with seven strikeouts over three innings while giving up just one hit. Hayes Hunt finished 2 for 2 with a walk and a double with three RBIs and four runs scored. Hunt’s four runs scored tied a single-game record held by a host of Eagles that was last accomplished by Thomas Stovall just last season. Jud Graham and David Ortiz-Ramirez both went 2 for 3 with an RBI. Landon Nelson drove in two while Ortiz-Ramirez and Mac Moorer each scored three runs.

Alabama Christian will participate in the annual FCA tournament next week and will face Stanhope Elmore Wednesday afternoon. 

Alabama Christian Defeats Lee in Five Innings

ACA played the second of three games this week against MPS teams as they played host to Lee on Thursday. The home team defeated the Generals 11-1 in five innings to improve to 3-2 on the young season. 

Starting pitcher Landon Nelson allowed the first three batters to reach without the benefit of a hit to start the game but responded with three straight punch outs to wiggle off the hook. The righty pitcher struck out the side over the next two frames for a total of nine consecutive whiffs. The Eagles got on the scoreboard in the second inning starting with Jackson McGuire’s RBI groundout. Nelson singled in the second run and Preston Hicks hit a double over the left fielder's head to run the score to 4-0. 

After a scoreless third, ACA scored five runs in the fourth to blow the game open. Two hit batsmen and a walk loaded the bases with no outs. Landon Nelson drove in two with a single to center for a 6-0 lead. Hunter Barfoot and Ari Bowman both drove in additional runs as the lead ballooned to 9-0. Lee scored one on a solo shot in the top of the fifth, but the Eagles scored two in the bottom half to end it in five. Preston Hicks whistled the game-winning hit by the pitcher’s ear to walk it off for the home team.

Landon Nelson picked up the win with ten strikeouts over four innings not allowing a General hit. Nelson and Preston Hicks both had two hits and drove in three runs to lead the offense. Hayes Hunt continued to get on base with three runs scored from the leadoff spot. Mac Moorer and Nelson both scored twice.

ACA next plays Saturday afternoon against Jeff Davis as they try to complete an undefeated week. Alabama Christian’s game against Trinity, scheduled for Friday, was canceled. 

ACA Too Much for Jeff Davis

ACA cruised to a 16-1 win over visiting Jeff Davis in a three-inning run-rule game Monday night. The Eagles exploded for twelve runs in the second frame to blow the game open. The Volunteer’s six errors helped Alabama Christian to the easy triumph.

Hayes Hunt retired Jeff Davis on nine pitches in the first and then helped his own cause with a hit and the first run of the game. Like Hunt, Landon Nelson scored on a passed ball for a 2-0 lead. Despite having two runners on and no outs, the Eagles failed to score again and led by two runs after one. Once again, Hunt set the Vols down quickly and the cascade of runs was about to begin for the home team. With one out in the second, eleven consecutive batters reached safely for Alabama Christian as sixteen Eagles in all batted. Hunt, Preston Hicks, Jud Graham, David Ortiz-Ramirez and Hunter Barfoot all drove in runs in the marathon inning. Jeff Davis managed to scratch across a run in the top of the third, but ACA plated two on an infield error in the bottom half for the 16-1 victory.  

Hayes Hunt allowed just one hit and struck out five in three innings to earn the win on the mound. The senior also paced the offense as he produced two hits in three at-bats with two RBIs and three runs scored. Preston Hicks and David Ortiz-Ramirez both drove in three runs while Landon Nelson scored three runs on the night.

Alabama Christian hosts Lee Thursday night in its next contest.

Alabama Christian Splits with Tallassee for First Win of the Season

Alabama Christian picked up its first win of the 2023 season as they split two with Tallassee Thursday night. ACA broke an 11-11 tie in the top of the sixth inning of game one with two runs and held the Tigers off in their final two at-bats for a 13-11 win. In the nightcap, the teams were tied 3-3 in the fourth, but the game slipped away from the Eagles as Tallassee prevailed 10-5.

After the first two batters of game one recorded outs, ACA hit five singles in a row to take a 4-0 lead. Preston Hicks delivered the first hit as the pitcher failed to cover after a diving stop by the first baseman. Hunter Barfoot, Judson Graham and William Milner each delivered run-scoring hits in the frame. After allowing a run to the home team, the Eagles scored six more runs in the second for a seemingly comfortable 10-1 cushion. Hayes Hunt tripled in David Ortiz-Ramirez and later scored on a passed ball. After Barfoot drove in his second run of the game on a groundout and Mac Moorer drew a bases-loaded walk, Ortiz-Ramirez delivered a two-run single for the nine-run lead.

Tallassee chipped away at the lead with seven runs over the next two innings to cut the score to 10-8. ACA stretched the lead to three runs as they scored on an infield error in the fourth. Mac Moorer took the hill in the fourth in relief of starter Hunter Barfoot and left two men stranded in scoring position with a strikeout to end the inning. In the fifth, Tallassee tied the game at eleven apiece, but the game remained even as Judson Graham picked off a runner at first for the second out and the third out came on a popup to Preston Hicks. ACA regained the lead in the sixth as a Hayes Hunt single drove in a run and a Landon Nelson sac fly drove in another. Moorer quieted the Tiger bats over the final two innings to pick up the win in relief. After Tallassee tied the game in the fifth, the sophomore pitcher retired eight of the next nine batters to secure the victory. 

Four Eagles, Hayes Hunt, Preston Hicks, Ari Bowman and David Ortiz-Ramirez, each had two hits to lead the offense. Hunt, Ortiz-Ramirez and Hunter Barfoot each drove in two runs while six different Eagles scored two runs.

Game two had a much different feel to it as the home plate umpire employed an “it’s been a long day” strike zone as neither team scored over the first two innings. Once the batters grew accustomed to the zone, the bats came to life. ACA trailed 3-1 after three and managed to tie the game in the fourth as they manufactured one run on a sac bunt and scored the second one on a flair to shallow right field by Landon Nelson. Tallassee answered with four runs in the bottom half and three more in the sixth as ACA could not keep up. The home team was happy to trade runs for outs in the last inning as Alabama Christian scored twice, but it was not enough. 

The offense managed just three hits in the second game. Hayes Hunt doubled while Landon Nelson and Hunter Barfoot both singled. Hunt finished the game 1 for 2 with two walks, a stolen base and two runs scored.  

ACA Drops Season Opener to Catholic

There is nothing quite like a baseball season opening day. Alabama Christian opened the year with its oldest in-town rival. ACA first played Catholic in 1970 and the series continued Tuesday night in a tightly contested game. The Eagles fell 12-13 to the Knights but provided plenty of highlights in the back-and-forth affair. Senior Preston Hicks homered in his first two at-bats and was never given a chance for a third as the Catholic coaching staff intentionally walked him in his next three plate appearances. Hayes Hunt went 4 for 4 with a triple from the leadoff spot and scored three times.

After giving up three runs in the top of the first, ACA responded with three themselves to draw even. Preston Hicks delivered two of the runs with a laser shot over the center field fence. With two outs in the second, Hicks struck again with a three-run shot to right center to help the Eagles take a 7-3 lead after two frames. Catholic scored two runs in the fourth, but Hunter Barfoot answered the call after a Hicks intentional pass by putting the ball in play and plating two runs. 

Hayes Hunt reached his pitch limit after four innings and it was up to the bullpen to hold the lead. Catholic tied the game in the fifth and scored four more in the sixth to take a 13-9 lead to the seventh. ACA did not go away without a fight as they cut the lead to one run. Judson Graham scored the first run on a bases-loaded wild pitch, Grant Cornette scored on a bases-loaded intentional walk to Hicks, and Mac Moorer scored on a Hunter Barfoot walk to cut the lead to 12-13. Catholic was able to record the last out and hold on for the win.

Preston Hicks finished the night with six RBIs while going 2 for 2 with three walks. Landon Nelson was 2 for 5 while Ati Bowman scored three runs and Hunter Barfoot drove in three.

The Eagles continue play with a doubleheader at Tallassee Thursday, February 23rd.

ACA Ends Season with Playoff Loss to Gordo

Alabama Christian opened the playoffs at Gordo on Friday and lost two games, 4-6 and 1-12, to bring the year to a close. The Green Wave scored the first three runs of the game and led 3-0 after four innings. With two outs in the fifth, the Eagles scored two runs on back-to-back singles from Hayes Hunt and Preston Hicks to close the deficit to one run. Gordo responded with two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth for a 6-2 cushion headed to the seventh inning. ACA fought back with two runs in the seventh and had the tying runs on base before the final out was recorded.

Isaac Warrick started for the Eagles and took the loss as he pitched five innings with eleven strikeouts. Hunter Barfoot pitched the final inning in relief. Hayes Hunt went 3 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI to lead the offense while Barfoot and Warrick both delivered two hits.

In game two, the Green Wave scored in every inning and won easily, 12-1. Trey Schlemmer scored the lone run for the Eagles on a wild pitch in the second inning. Isaac Warrick and Schlemmer collected the only two hits for the offense. JT Moorer started and took the loss with four strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings while Hayes Hunt pitched the last 2 2/3 innings with four strikeouts to finish the game.

ACA Closes Area Play With Sweep of BTW-Tuskegee

Alabama Christian finished an undefeated week with a sweep of BTW-Tuskegee. The wins improved the Eagles Area record to 7-1 to finish in a tie with St James in the standings. ACA will be the number two seed from the Area entering the playoffs due to the Trojans winning the tiebreaker earlier in the season.

The regulars played in the first game of the twin bill and dominated BTW with a 17-0 shutout victory. Isaac Warrick threw his second no-hitter of the season as all nine outs were recorded via the strikeout in the mercy-rule game. The senior lefty became the third pitcher in program history with at least 100 strikeouts in a season. Warrick also led the charge at the plate with a 2 for 2 game with two RBIs. Preston Hicks drove in three runs and Hayes Hunt scored three runs while being hit twice in the game.

The backups and several players called up from the JV squad played the second game of the night and continued the good play of the week with a five-inning 11-1 win. Hunter Barfoot pitched four innings for the win and Landon Nelson finished the Eagles off in the fifth. Barfoot sparked the offense with a 2 for 3 effort. Hayes Hunt scored three runs while Mac Moorer drove in four Eagles. Moorer, Ari Bowman and AC Walters each collected their first varsity hit of the season.

ACA will finish the regular season Monday at PCA before traveling to Gordo for the first round of the playoffs.

ACA Extends Winning Streak to Seven Games

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.

Alabama Christian Wins Three in a Row

The Eagles enjoyed their most successful week of the season by winning all three games played and improving to a winning record of nine wins and eight losses. The week started with a win over Lee on Monday, 11-0, then a doubleheader sweep of Brew Tech, 5-0 and 15-3.

3/21 – at Lee (Paterson Field)

Isaac Warrick tossed a one-hitter in a game that was scoreless through the first four innings. The left-hander shut out the Generals over six innings with 11 punch outs and only one walk. The offense made up for not scoring early by plating eleven runs over the final two frames for the run-rule victory. After JT Moorer scored on a passed ball for the first run of the game, Preston Hicks and Trey Schlemmer produced consecutive singles to stretch the lead to 4-0. Warrick followed Schlemmer with a run scoring triple and later scored on a Hunter Barfoot hit to finish the six-run inning. The offense continued to produce in the sixth as the Eagles hung a five-spot on the board. Hicks and Schlemmer struck again with back-to-back run-scoring hits to make the score 8-0. The next two runs were scored as Barfoot was hit with the bases loaded and Carson Horn drew a walk to stretch the lead to ten runs. The final run scored on a Landon Nelson RBI groundout for the final 11-0 margin. Hicks, Schlemmer and Barfoot led the attack with two hits and two RBIs apiece while five players scored two runs on the night.

3/22 – Brew Tech Game 1

Not to be outdone by his fellow senior pitcher, JT Moorer followed up Isaac Warrick’s Monday outing with a gem of his own in a 5-0 defeat of Brew Tech. The right-hander pitched seven innings and held the Rams to two hits with eight strikeouts. Alabama Christian scored all five of its runs in the third inning as Thomas Stovall led off with a double to left and scored on Hayes Hunt’s single for the first run of the game. Preston Hicks knocked in Hunt and later scored himself on a passed ball. The final two runs scored on an RBI groundout by Hunter Barfoot and a passed ball that allowed Warrick to score. Moorer kept the visitors off the board from there, despite having runners on base every inning. Hunt paced the offense going 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI.

Brew Tech Game 2

Starter Hayes Hunt gave up a run in the top of the first, but the offense responded with six runs in the bottom half to take control of the second game of the doubleheader. Thomas Stovall tied the game after reaching on an error and coming around to later score on a passed ball. The Eagles scored the next five runs with two outs highlighted by a Hunter Barfoot two-run triple and a two-run single by JT Moorer. ACA added four runs in the fourth to stretch the lead to 12-3. Carson Horn drove in two with a single to left and Kellen Kendrick knocked another in with a single. Moorer delivered his second two-run single of the night to extend the lead to nine runs. In the bottom of the fifth, the Eagles needed just one run to end it due to the ten-run mercy rule. Preston Hicks and Trey Schlemmer got on to start the inning and Isaac Warrick finished it in grand fashion with a three-run shot to center field for the 15-3 triumph. Hunt picked up the win with a five-inning effort in which he allowed two earned runs with five strikeouts. Moorer finished 3 for 3 with a season high four RBIs while Schlemmer also went 3 for 3 with three runs scored. Horn finished with two hits and three runs scored.  

ACA Baseball Week in Review - Warrick No-Hits Jeff Davis

Alabama Christian played two games this week heading into spring break. The Eagles defeated Jeff Davis 13-0, thanks to Isaac Warricks’s effort on the mound, and fell to Trinity 6-12 on Friday.

3-10 Jeff Davis

Isaac Warrick dominated Jeff Davis as he held the visitors without a hit and was one fourth-inning walk away from a perfect game. The senior lefty struck out twelve Volunteers over five innings as he overwhelmed his opponent. After scoring two runs in the first, ACA broke the game open with six runs in the second inning for a commanding 8-0 advantage. Trey Schlemmer delivered a two-run double for the big blow for the Eagles. Alabama Christian tacked on five more runs over the next three frames for the 13-0 win. Thomas Stovall tied a school record with four runs scored on the afternoon, a mark that has only been accomplished twice over the past twenty years.

Isaac Warrick enjoys a moment after his no-hitter on Thursday.

3-11 at Trinity

After playing the Wildcats to a 1-0 final two weeks ago, ACA looked to even the score at Trinity. The Wildcats struck first with three runs in the first to take an early lead. The Eagles tied the contest in the top of the fourth. The frame started with two singles and a hit batter to load the bases with no outs. Trinity gave away the three runs with two more hit batters and an error over the next four at-bats to allow ACA to tie the score 3-3. Trinity immediately took the lead back in the bottom half and broke the game open after a pitching change in the bottom of the fifth with five more runs. The Wildcats added three more insurance runs for a 12-3 lead after six innings. The Eagles scored three in the seventh as Landon Nelson drove in the last run of the game in the 6-12 loss. Preston Hicks and Isaac Warrick led the offense with two hits apiece while Hunter Barfoot drove in two runs.

Thomas Stovall gets hit in the first at bat of the game.

ACA Beats Catholic in Season Opener

After having their home opener rained out last week, Alabama Christian defeated Catholic 5-3 in the first game of the season. Hayes Hunt looked strong on the mound with four solid innings and the offense scored in four of the first five innings to build a 5-0 lead. The visiting Knights had the tying runs in scoring position in the top of the seventh, but Isaac Warrick shut the door to pick up the save.

After Catholic went three up and three down in the first, ACA scored the first two runs of the game on consecutive fielder’s choices by Preston Hicks and JT Moorer that plated Isaac Warrick and Trey Schlemmer. The Eagles continued to manufacture runs in the second frame as Hayes Hunt delivered a sac fly that scored Carson Horn for a 3-0 advantage. in the fourth, Schlemmer was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score ACA’s fourth run. The team’s last run came as Landon Nelson doubled down the right field line that scored Moorer.

The Knights answered late in the contest with a two-run blast in the sixth off JT Moorer to cut the score to 5-2. Isaac Warrick came in to pitch the final inning, but Catholic continued to fight and cut the lead to 5-3 on a passed ball with the bases loaded. All runners advanced to give Catholic runners on second and third with two outs and a chance to tie the game with a base hit. Warrick struck out the final batter to preserve the two-run victory to open the season.

Hayes Hunt kept the Catholic hitters off balance as he earned the win, allowing two hits with eight strikeouts over four innings. The eight and nine hitters sparked the offense as both Landon Nelson and Thomas Stovall finished 2 for 3 on the night.

Alabama Christian will play another in-town rival as they host Trinity Friday night in their next contest.

ACA Drops Series to American Christian in Second Round of Playoffs

Sometimes in the playoffs who you draw is very important in determining how far your team might go in the postseason. Alabama Christian faced a tough second round opponent in American Christian in a 4A Top 10 match up. The Patriots swept the series and did not allow an Eagle run in the two games. In the first game underclassmen Hayes Hunt, Trey Schlemmer and Isaac Warrick delivered the team’s three hits in the 13-0 loss. Warrick and Hunt pitched for the Eagles in the opener. In the final game, three seniors collected the offense’s only hits as Brandon Bice, Mason Prestage and Thomas Stovall each singled and Zac Westbrook and JT Moorer both pitched in the 7-0 defeat.

Despite the sweep, ACA enjoyed success not seen over the past few years. The Eagles returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2016, won the Area championship and finished with a record of 19-12-1.

ACA Sweeps Playoff Series Against St Michaels

Alabama Christian ended a three season playoff hiatus as they hosted St Michaels in the first round of the playoffs on Friday. The Eagles last appearance in the playoffs was in 2016 where they lost in the first round to Demopolis. ACA had only played two games over the past fourteen days and it remained to be seen whether the team was rested or rusty. The verdict was probably a little of both. After falling behind 3-2 in the third inning of game one, the Eagles outscored its opponent 22-1 over the remainder of the evening for the 10-3, 14-1 sweep.

Isaac Warrick readies to pitch against St Michaels.

Starter Isaac Warrick took the ball in game one and promptly struck out the side on just 13 pitches to begin the Eagle’s day. ACA struck first, in the second inning, as Thomas Stovall singled to drive in Jalen Clark and scored one batter later as Zac Westbrook doubled to left. The Cardinals took their only lead of the day in the third inning with a three-run homer and a 3-2 advantage headed to the bottom of the third. Alabama Christian responded immediately in their half of the frame with two runs and a 4-3 lead. The home team loaded the bases with two walks and a hit batter and scored the two runs on RBI ground outs by Preston Hicks and Hayes Hunt. Given the lead again, Warrick allowed only two more Cardinals to reach base as he shut down the St Michaels offense over the final four innings. The junior lefty finished with 14 strikeouts and allowed only three hits as he earned the game one victory. In the fourth inning, ACA added four runs as Warrick delivered the big blow with a two-run single for the 8-3 lead. The last two runs of the contest were scored in the sixth inning as Clark drove in Hunt with a single and later scored on a wild pitch for the final 10-3 margin. The bottom part of the lineup, consisting of Hayes Hunt, Jalen Clark and Thomas Stovall, sparked the offense with five of the team’s ten hits and six of the ten runs scored. Clark led the squad with a 3 for 3 performance with three runs scored and one RBI. Brandon Bice finished 2 for 3 with a run scored.

Zac Westbrook takes the mound for game two.

With the momentum squarely on the side of the Eagles, ACA looked to jump on St Michaels early and give the Cardinals little hope of a split. The offense wasted no time as Zac Westbrook led off the game with a walk and scored on a Brandon Bice double for the game’s first run. Bice would later score on a passed ball for the early 2-0 lead. In the second inning, Westbrook was in the middle of the action again as he crushed a three-run homer to center for the 5-0 advantage. The third inning saw the Eagles score four two-out runs to build a commanding 9-0 lead. Jalen Clark reached on an error and Thomas Stovall walked behind him to set up the top of the order. Westbrook scored Clark with a single to center field and Mason Prestage delivered a bases-loaded double to score three runs for the nine run cushion. In the fourth, Alabama Christian scored five more runs for the final 14-1 score. Trey Schlemmer led off the frame with a double and scored on a Hayes Hunt triple. Clark singled to score Hunt for the team’s eleventh run. Clark touched the plate as Westbrook drove in his fifth run of the game with a single to right. The final two runs were scored by Thomas Stovall on a wild pitch and Taylor Thornton who scored on a bases-loaded walk drawn by Schlemmer. Westbrook was the star of game two with a four hit, five RBI performance and picked up the win on the mound as he allowed just four hits in the complete game effort. Mason Prestage finished 2 for 4 with three RBIs while Thomas Stovall went 1 for 1 with three walks and three runs scored.

ACA will face the winner of the American Christian/Oak Grove series in the second round of the playoffs.  

ACA Wins Area Title with Sweep of BTW-Tuskegee

Alabama Christian ended a three year playoff drought and won the Area championship with a sweep of BTW on Thursday. The Eagles dominated the day, despite an eight day layoff, with 17-0 and 15-0 shutouts to improve their record to 17-10-1 on the season. Isaac Warrick starred in the opener as he no-hit the Golden Eagles with five strikeouts and drove in two runs with a hit in three at bats. Jalen Clark and Zac Westbrook each delivered two hits with two RBIs while Hayes Hunt and Mason Prestage each drove in two runs apiece.

The Eagles continued their dominance of BTW in game two as Zac Westbrook allowed just one hit with seven strikeouts in a 15-0 blowout. Nine different Eagles scored runs and nine drove in runs in the second half of the doubleheader. Taylor Thornton was 2 for 2 with a double and two runs driven in while Preston Hicks finished 1 for 1 with a triple and two RBIs. JT Moorer and Parker Mock both drove in two runs in the contest.

Alabama Christian will host the first round of the playoffs on Friday, April 23rd at the AUM Baseball Complex.

Softball and Baseball Win in Early Week Action

Softball

The 15-1 final score in no way showed how close the contest was between ACA and Stanhope Elmore in Tuesday's game. The Eagles led by the slimmest of margins with a 2-1 advantage heading to the bottom of the fourth. However, Alabama Christian erupted for 13 runs in the frame and did not have to bat again as they run-ruled the Mustangs in five innings. Neither team scored through the first two and a half innings until Izzy Warrick delivered a two-run single to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead. After giving up a run to Stanhope Elmore in the top of the fourth, the Lady Eagles responded with a 13 run scoring barrage. Rose Costanza started the fireworks with a two-run homer to center field after a Katie Chappell single opened the inning. Skylar Crews and Warrick both drove in single runs before Haley Ingram, Chappell and Costanza hit back-to-back-to-back doubles that drove in five runs. Lawson Borland and KG Taylor drove in a run apiece before Crews finished the scoring with a two-run double, the fourth double of the inning for the Eagles. Costanza and Crews both had two run scoring knocks in the scoring outburst.

Rose Costanza led the offense with a 3 for 3 performance including a double and a homer with three RBIs. Skylar Crews finished 2 for 2 with a double with three runs driven in while Katie Chappell was 2 for 4 with a double and two RBIs. Haley Ingram’s double extended her hitting streak to 21 games and Izzy Warrick drove in three runs. In the circle, Costanza picked up the win while Hayley Cassidy finished the final two innings to close the game.

Baseball

ACA moved its game against Reeltown up a day due to the threat of bad weather on Thursday. The Eagles built a 5-0 lead after four and a half innings and held on for a 9-7 victory in the replacement game. The five early runs were scored on an infield error, a dropped third strike, another error, a steal of home and a sac fly. Isaac Warrick delivered a two-run single to highlight a four run seventh frame. JT Moorer earned the win with a 4 2/3 inning effort with four strikeouts and Zac Westbrook recorded the save by pitching the last three outs.

Tennis

The Lady Eagles tied Carroll in Ozark 5-5 on Monday afternoon. Molly Howard (8-4), Layne DeCapite (8-4) and Laura Stokley (8-2) each won their singles matches and Ava Rose Dean/Howard (8-3) and Stokley/Jordan Wilson (11-10) won their doubles matches.

The Lady Eagles were swept by LAMP on Tuesday afternoon.

Soccer

Both soccer teams were beaten by MA on Tuesday night. The girls were defeated 10-0 as Marcy Gregory recorded 16 saves and the boys were beaten 7-0 with Emmitt Sanford finishing with 10 saves.

Baseball Takes Three Over LAMP to Highlight Easter Weekend Competition

Baseball

The Eagles took a major step towards an Area title with a sweep of LAMP on Thursday and Friday. Both ACA and St James have one loss in the Area, but the Eagles hold the tiebreaker advantage over the Trojans. Alabama Christian and LAMP combined for 59 runs in the three game set, but the Eagles’ bats proved too strong in the high scoring series. In the series opener, ACA used two big innings to score all 13 of its runs in the 13-7 final. LAMP scored five runs over the first three innings to take what looked like a comfortable 5-0 lead, but the Eagles scored six runs in the bottom half of the third. Three straight singles by Isaac Warrick, Trey Schlemmer and Preston Hicks plated the first three Alabama Christian runs. Two LAMP errors with two outs added another three runs and gave ACA a 6-5 lead heading to the fourth frame. LAMP scored two in the fourth to retake the lead, but the Eagles put the game away with seven runs in the fifth and a 13-7 lead. Warrick’s two-run single highlighted a frame that included four singles, two walks, a hit by pitch and a sac fly. Warrick picked up the win with eight strikeouts over five innings and JT Moorer closed the door with two scoreless innings. Trey Schlemmer went 3 for 4 with two RBIs while Preston Hicks and Isaac Warrick each delivered two hits for the offense.

Isaac Warrick pitches the Eagles to victory in game one of the LAMP series.

Good Friday saw the series shift to Paterson Field for games two and three of the important Area tilt. ACA fell behind early again in game two as LAMP led 3-1 after an inning. However, the Eagles scored nine runs in the second frame to put the game and the series away. With one out in the inning, eight consecutive batters reached safely for Alabama Christian without the luxury of a hit as LAMP pitching produced six walks and a hit batsman along with a fielding error to rocket the Eagles to an 8-3 advantage. The last two runs of the inning came on a Zac Westbrook double to right that plated Preston Hicks and Hayes Hunt for a 10-3 lead. Both teams combined for just one run over the next three innings as ACA led 10-4 going to the sixth inning. In the sixth, ACA plated six insurance runs for the 16-6 victory in the run-ruled shortened game. Zac Westbrook earned the victory with a complete game, four strikeout performance and helped himself at the plate with a 2 for 3 day with a double and two RBIs. Isaac Warrick finished 3 for 3 with two runs scored while Brandon Bice went 2 for 4 with a double and four RBIs and Hayes Hunt was 2 for 2 with three runs scored and two RBIs.

Zac Westbrook advances to second base against LAMP.

After securing the series in game two, the Eagles looked to take all three in the final games of the day. Although the game meant nothing to the Area standings, it was the most thrilling game of the three. LAMP led all the way over the first six innings and held a 5-2 advantage as the team’s headed to the seventh. In the top half, Braden Alford walked, JT Moorer singled and Parker Mock walked to load the bases with no outs. Caden Perry cut the deficit to one run with a two-run single to left and Taylor Thornton tied the game with a single that scored Mock. Zac Westbrook hit a sac fly to give the Eagles a 6-5 lead as LAMP prepared for their last at bat. An error, sacrifice bunt and a single tied the game and sent it to extra innings. In the eighth, ACA scored three times thanks to singles from Thornton and Westbrook. The Eagles allowed two runs in the bootom of the eighth, but held on for the 9-8 victory. Brandon Bice picked up the win in relief. Thornton paced the offense with three hits in five at bats with three RBIs. Carson Horn, JT Moorer and Caden Perry each delivered two hits for the Eagle attack.

Softball

Thursday marked a special day for the softball program as the hitting pavilion was named for long-time coach, Chris Goodman. Coach Goodman has impacted many lives in his career at ACA and is very deserving of the recognition. The Lady Eagles hosted Wetumpka, Goodman’s alma mater, after the ribbon cutting ceremony. Wetumpka proved too strong on the afternoon and defeated the Lady Eagles, 8-1. Haley Ingram did extend her hitting streak to 20 games with a first inning double.

Soccer

The Lady Eagles dropped an Area contest to LAMP on Thursday by the score of 3-1. The match was tied at the half thanks to a Presley Lewis goal, but two second half goals proved the difference for the Lady Tigers. Goalie Marcy Gregory had 10 saves on the evening.

Track

The track and field team competed in the Race for Hunger at MA on Saturday and the boys team had several top five finishes. Demari Moore won the high jump with a leap of 5 feet 10 inches and finished fifth in the long jump with AC Walters who finished third. Zander Costanza finished fourth in the 1600m and 3200m runs while Garrett Weathers placed fifth in the 400m dash. the boys relay teams also placed second in the 4x100 and 4x800 races. In the girls division, Kate Finch placed in three races as she finished in third in the 1600m and the 3200m runs and fifth in the 800m run.

ACA Out Slugs Trinity in High Scoring Game

The Eagles came off of spring break swinging the bats as the offense collected 13 hits in an 11-6 defeat of Trinity. Monday’s game was the second meeting of the season for the two teams, but the first win for either team as the first contest ended in a tie in the FCA tournament. The Wildcats struck first with two runs in the bottom of the first, but Alabama Christian answered with three runs in the next frame highlighted by a two-run double from Brandon Bice. Trinity scored three in the bottom half to take a 5-3 lead after two. After scoring one in the third, ACA plated three runs in the fourth on two wild pitches and a bases loaded walk to take the lead for good at 7-5. Bice scored a run in the fifth after hitting his third double for an 8-6 advantage and the Eagles added three insurance runs in the seventh on RBIs from Isaac Warrick, Trey Schlemmer and Jalen Clark for the final 11-6 margin.

Brandon Bice led the offense as he finished 4 for 5 with three doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. Jalen Clark, Preston Hicks and Trey Schlemmer each added two hits and combined to drive in four runs. Isaac Warrick picked up the win in relief of starter Hayes Hunt. Zac Westbrook pitched the final three innings to close out the Widcats.