Alabama Christian Shuts Out Beulah

After dropping a game at Beulah a little over a week ago, ACA (2-5) blanked the visitors 7-0 on Monday night behind the right arm of Landon Nelson. The senior took the mound and dominated the Bobcat lineup as he struck out a career high 13 batters over five innings while giving up just one hit. Nelson set the tone early as he struck out the side in the first on just eleven pitches.

Neither team scored through the first two innings, but the Eagles touched home four times in the third to give their pitcher all the runs he would need. After Mac Moorer and Jackson McGuire opened the frame with singles, Landon Nelson drove in the first run of the night with a double down the left field line. Jackson Burton followed with an RBI on a fielder’s choice and Cam Sutton drove in the last two on a pop up single to shallow left that the Beulah shortstop could not catch. Nelson again struck out the side in the fourth to make sure the Bobcats didn’t have any thoughts of a comeback. Although his control was not as sharp in the fifth, he finished the night with his 13th punch out of the night.

In the final innings, ACA looked to pad the four run lead for some insurance. In the fifth, ACA looked poised for a big inning as Bryson Dabney coaxed a one-out bases loaded walk to extend the lead to 5-0 and turn it over to the top of the lineup. Unfortunately, the rally was halted as a jog down the first base line aided an inning ending double play. Cam Sutton relieved Nelson and set the Bobcats down 1-2-3 in the sixth. In the home half, ACA scored twice more on a Grant Cornette ground out and a Teilan Long double. In the seventh, Beulah’s lead off hitter reached base, but was erased on a beautiful around the horn double play. The last hitter popped up and the game belonged to Alabama Christian.

Jackson McGuire led the hit parade with a 3 for 3 night with a walk. Zander Costanza finished 2 for 3 with a walk as five other batters each had one hit. Cam Sutton’s two RBIs were the most on the team while Grant Cornette and Jackson Burton each scored two runs for team high honors. Landon Nelson and Teilan Long had the team’s extra base hits as both hit doubles.

If the rain holds off, ACA is scheduled to participate in the Jason Armstrong Tournament on Tuesday against Greenville at Riverwalk.

Eagles Drop Decision to Trinity

Alabama Christian (1-5) hung tough for 5 1/2 innings, but eventually lost at Trinity, 3-8. ACA trailed by one run as the Wildcats came to bat in the sixth, but gave up four runs in the frame for the final tally. Jackson McGuire’s five innings was the most any starter has thrown this season and gave his team a chance to win with his effort.

The Wildcats scored two in the second to open the scoring and the score remained 2-0 through four innings. in the fifth, ACA pushed across its first run of the day. With one out, Bryson Dabney walked followed by a Mac Moorer single to put two runners on. Jackson McGuire doubled to right to score Dabney and set up the offense with runners on second and third with just one out. At a minimum, the thought was to at least tie the game, but the next two batters popped out on the infield to kill the rally.

Trinity scored two in the fifth to stretch the lead to 4-1, but the Eagles immediately responded with two runs of their own to bring the deficit back to one run. After walks to Teilan Long and Bryant Swindle, Bryson Dabney delivered a two-out double that scored Long and put runners at second and third. Up next, Mac Moorer walked to load the bases which brought up Jackson McGuire. On a 2-1 count, McGuire singled to right which scored Swindle, but Dabney was held at third. Unfortunately, it looked as if Moorer assumed Dabney would be sent and was caught in a rundown for the third out of the inning. Moorer then came in to relieve McGuire, but after striking the first two batters out was unable to record another out. Trinity scored four times in the inning to extend the lead to 8-3. Landon Nelson led the seventh off with a double to try and mount a comeback, but the next three batters were retired to end the game.

Jackson McGuire, who has arguably been the team’s best player over the first six games, led the offense with two hits in three at-bats including a double and two RBIs. Although the junior picked up the loss on the mound he pitched well over five innings with five strikeouts. Bryson Dabney, Mac Moorer, and Landon Nelson contributed the other three hits for the offense on the day.

Alabama Christian will host Percy Julian, formerly known as Lee, on Friday for their next game.

ACA Defense Falters in Loss at Reeltown

A championship caliber team would have great difficulty winning a game overcoming nine errors. So, you can imagine the strain that would put on a young team still searching for its identity. ACA (1-4) was not able to overcome the miscues in a 4-9 loss at Reeltown. Cam Sutton pitched a good game, as he got the start, but holding the Rebel offense down with six errors behind him was asking too much of the sophomore. Teilan Long and Alex Heilman both made their varsity debuts in the game and made contributions.

Neither team scored in the first, but after a Teilan Long double to center, Sam Schoeteker’s sac fly drove in the first run of the contest. Cam Sutton faced just three Reeltown batters in the second thanks to a Cornette to Nelson to Heilman double play. In the third inning, ACA tacked on two more runs as Bryson Dabney and Grant Cornette hit back to back singles with one out. After a passed ball moved both runners up a base, Jackson Mcguire kept the inning going with a two-run single to right for a 3-0 lead. Sutton retired the first two batters in the home half of the inning, but an infield error that would have ended the inning seemed to take the wind out of the sails of the Eagles. After the error, Reeltown scored twice to cut the lead to 3-2 after three.

ACA committed four errors in the fourth as the game started to get away from the visitors. Reeltown scored four times on just one hit to lead 6-3 after four. In the fifth and sixth frames, the rebels scored three more times for a 9-3 cushion. Jackson McGuire drove in a run in the seventh for the final margin of 4-9.

Jackson McGuire led the offense as he went 3 for 3 with three RBIs. Grant Cornette, Teilan Long, and Bryson Dabney delivered the other three hits for the team. Cam Sutton pitched four innings to start and gave up just one earned run while Grant Cornette pitched the final two innings without giving up an earned run. In an oddity for high school baseball, the two ACA pitchers did not walk or strike out a single batter.

ACA has an early 2:30 start at Trinity on Tuesday next time out.

Alabama Christian Loses at Home Against Tallassee

ACA (1-2) hosted Tallassee on Thursday night and fell to the visiting Tigers, 1-7. Tallassee scored three runs in the first inning and never looked back in the easy victory. Starting pitcher Landon Nelson began the game with a strikeout, but five of the next six batters reached safely to build a three run lead. Mac Moorer and Grant Cornette led off the Eagles half with back to back singles and Nelson drove in a run with an infield ground out, but the offense couldn’t push anyone else across. The offense had three base runners in the first, but only five more would reach base over the next six frames.

Tallassee scored two in the second and two more in the fourth to open a 7-1 cushion. Grant Cornette stayed hot in the third with his second hit of the night, but was erased on an inning ending double play. Cam Sutton made his pitching debut in relief and pitched the final four innings for the Eagles.

Grant Cornette had half of the team’s hits as he finished 2 for 3 on the night. Mac Moorer and Conner Foucault had the other two hits as Moorer scored the only run of the night. Landon Nelson (4) and Cam Sutton (6) combined to strike out ten Tigers in the game.

Alabama Christian hits the road on Friday as they travel to Beulah for their next game.

ACA Defeats Catholic in Home Opener

The Eagles (1-1) opened the home season with a 15-6 defeat of Catholic. The game was tied 6-6 when ACA exploded for nine runs in the bottom of the sixth to secure the win.

Mac Moorer started for the home team and set the Knights down 1-2-3 in the first. The offense wasted no time getting on the board as they pushed across three runs in the bottom half. The first run scored on a Landon Nelson sac fly followed by a two-run missile over the left field wall by Jackson Burton. After a scoreless second, Catholic got on the board with five runs in the third to take a 5-3 lead. Alabama Christian got one back in the bottom half as Burton drove in Nelson on an infield ground out.

Jackson McGuire relieved the starter in the fourth inning and promptly sat down the Knight’s 2, 3, and 4 hitters as he struck out the side. In the bottom of the fourth, Mac Moorer was hit by pitch with the bases loaded to tie the score and a Grant Cornette sac fly gave the Eagles a one-run lead. The Knights scored one in the fifth to tie it back up. McGuire did not allow a run in the sixth to leave the game tied heading into the big inning for ACA.

With one out in the sixth, ACA strung together three consecutive singles to load the bases. Jackson McGuire hit a sac fly to left, for the second out, to give the Eagles the lead. After that out, Catholic pitching put the next five batters on by a walk or hit batsman which gave the home team an 11-6 advantage. Grant Cornette then doubled down the left field line to drive in two more followed by a Landon Nelson two-bagger that drove in another two for a 15-6 lead. Eight men reached base safely between the second and third outs in the frame. McGuire came back out in the seventh and finished off the night with a strikeout.

Jackson McGuire picked up the win in relief as he gave up just one run over four innings while striking out six and walking one. The junior also helped himself at the plate with the game winning sac fly in the sixth. Landon Nelson and Jackson Burton led the offense as both players finished 3 for 4 with three RBI’s and two runs scored. Grant Cornette finished 2 for 3 with a double, three runs driven in and three runs scored while Mac Moorer was 2 for 3 with two ribbies and two runs scored. Cam Sutton continued to get on base by any means necessary as he was hit two more times in the game. The sophomore has reached base safely in six out of seven plate appearances without a hit.

ACA will be back at home on Thursday as they take on Tallassee.

Alabama Christian Opens Season at Chilton County

It was a beautiful day to open the 2024 baseball season as Alabama Christian (0-1) traveled to Clanton to play. Unfortunately, the game did not begin until 7:00 and the cold crept back in after the sun went down. The Eagles fell to Chilton County by a score of 5-2.

Mac (or Mal as the PA announcer liked to call him) Moorer looked in mid-season form to lead off the first as he was hit on the second pitch of the game. Landon Nelson singled to center with one out, but a double play ended the threat and the first inning. Nelson toed the rubber for ACA and although he had base runners in every frame he pitched, he allowed just one hit over his 3 ⅔ innings and struck out seven. The hit he gave up was a two-run double in the bottom of the fourth for the first runs of the night. The hit was a heart breaker as it came after Nelson and the entire team thought he had struck out the batter before which would have ended the inning and kept the contest scoreless.

ACA answered in the top of the fifth with two runs of their own to tie the game at 2-2. Jackson McGuire led off with a single followed by a walk from Cam Sutton. Zander Costanza sacrificed the two runners over to put runners at second and third with one out. After a strikeout, Mac Moorer delivered a two-out infield single which scored Bryant Swindle, who was running for McGuire, and after an error by the shortstop Sutton came around to score to tie the game. Moorer relieved in the home half of the fifth, but gave up an unearned run as Chilton County pulled back in the lead. The home team scored two more unearned runs in the sixth for the 5-2 victory.

Mac Moorer, Grant Cornette, Landon Nelson, and Jackson McGuire each had a single for the team’s four hits on the night. Moorer and Cam Sutton each reached base three times.

ACA resumes play on Tuesday, February 20th as they host Catholic in the home opener.

ACA Beats LAMP on Senior Night

Alabama Christian celebrated its three seniors before the contest against LAMP Monday night and celebrated a 6-4 win over the Golden Tigers afterward. Hunter Barfoot, Preston Hicks and Hayes Hunt’s careers are coming to a close and each senior contributed in the victory. Barfoot gutted out six innings on the mound to pick up the victory while Hicks and Hunt combined for three of the team’s six hits, drove in two runs and scored three runs.

With two outs in the bottom of the first, Preston Hicks doubled to center field to start a rally aided by LAMP’s defensive miscues. William Milner and Landon Nelson both reached on Tiger errors for a 2-0 first-inning lead. In the second inning, the Eagles scored two more runs with two outs. David Ortiz-Ramirez and Hayes Hunt both walked and then scored on a single by Mac Moorer and a fielding error by the right fielder. LAMP was able to get on the scoreboard with a two-out single in the fourth to cut the score to 4-1.

ACA answered with two more runs in the bottom half as Hayes Hunt tripled in David Ortiz-Ramirez and later scored himself on a Preston Hicks single. The home team led 6-1 after four innings. LAMP scored one in the sixth to cut the lead to four runs. In the seventh, Hicks came into a save situation after the first two Tiger hitters walked. The senior induced a ground ball and exchanged a run for an out. Down three runs with one out, LAMP chose to sacrifice the runner over to third and the Eagles gladly took the second out. Although LAMP scored its fourth run on a wild pitch, the next batter struck out looking to end the game.

Preston Hicks finished 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI and picked up the save to finish the game. Landon Nelson went 2 for 4 with Hayes Hunt and Mac Moorer picking up the other two hits. Hunter Barfoot earned the win with six tough innings and three strikeouts. Moorer produced two exceptional diving stops at second to get the runner at first at key times late in the game.

Alabama Christian closes out the season with a three-game series with MA starting on Thursday. The two teams will play once at the AUM baseball complex on Thursday and a doubleheader at MA on Friday.

Alabama Christian Defeats St James in Extra Innings

It wasn’t easy and the Eagles made it exciting and nerve-racking all at the same time, but in the end, ACA came out on top in a must-win contest at St James. Alabama Christian trailed by two after four innings, tied the game in the fifth, took the lead in the sixth, and extended the advantage to 7-4 in the top of the seventh. To the Trojan’s credit, the home team scored three times in the bottom half to force extra innings. ACA scored one in the ninth and kept St James off the board for the 8-7 triumph.

Landon Nelson got the offense off to a good start in the first inning with a two-out single that scored Hayes Hunt and Preston Hicks. Hunt set the Trojans down 1-2-3 in the bottom half. The Eagles needed the senior lefty to fight and keep the team in the game and he delivered all day long. St James scored three in the second and one in the fourth to take a 4-2 lead.

In the fifth, Mac Moorer sacrificed in David Ortiz-Ramirez to cut the lead to one and Hayes Hunt scored on an infield error to tie the game, 4-4. The Trojans committed six errors in the game to help the Eagle’s cause. With two outs in the sixth, Ortiz-Ramirez drew a walk and stole second base. Hunt drove him in with a double to right to give ACA a 5-4 lead. In the seventh, Kaleb Hopkins drove in the team’s sixth run and later scored on a wild pitch to give the Eagles a seemingly comfortable 7-4 advantage. 

Hunt retired the first two batters in the home half, but two walks and an infield error loaded the bases. Consecutive St James singles tied the game, 7-7. A second error reloaded the bases, but Hunt induced a pop-up to first baseman Kaleb Hopkins to send the game to extra innings. Both teams were retired in order in the eighth. Preston Hicks led off the ninth with a double but was still standing on third with two outs. On a 1-2 count, Hicks scored on a passed ball to help ACA retake the lead. Mac Moorer looked to pick up a save as he pitched the ninth frame. After a leadoff walk, the Trojans gave away an out to move the runner to second. The next batter bunted for a base hit to third leaving runners at first and third with one out. For the third straight time, St James attempted to bunt, but Moorer came off the mound and threw home for the fielder’s choice. The last Trojan batter flew out to left and the Eagles hung on for an 8-7 thriller in nine innings.

Hayes Hunt picked up the win with eight innings of work as he allowed three earned runs on 104 pitches. Mac Moorer picked up the save as he blanked St James in the ninth. At the plate, Preston Hicks led the team with three hits in five at-bats with a double and three runs scored, including the game-winner. Hunt finished 2 for 5 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Landon Nelson, Kaleb Hopkins and Ari Bowman each had a single hit. Nelson drove in two runs to lead the team.

The two Area foes are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Thursday to finish the series.

ACA Swept in Doubleheader by PCA

Alabama Christian looked to bounce back after a loss to PCA on Thursday but lost both games of a doubleheader and was swept by the Panthers. The Eagles committed six more errors in the twin bill for a total of eleven mishaps for the series. ACA falls to 0-2 in the Area with the losses.

In game one, the Eagles scored in the top of the first as Preston Hicks scored Hayes Hunt on a grounder to second base. PCA responded with three in the bottom half as they cleared the bases on a single and an outfield error. The Panthers clearly snatched any momentum the Eagles had with an early lead. PCA tacked on two more runs in the fourth and one in the fifth to build a 6-1 cushion. 

ACA showed signs of life as they strung together consecutive hits and closed the gap to 6-3. Kaleb Hopkins and William Milner both drove in runs in the inning. PCA got both of them back in the bottom of the sixth as Mac Moorer recorded the final out on just one pitch. The Eagles put the first two men on in the top of the seventh, but the next three batters didn’t make it out of the infield for the 8-3 loss.

Five Eagles had hits as Kaleb Hopkins doubled while Hayes Hunt, Mac Moorer, Preston Hicks and William Milner all singled. Landon Nelson took the loss after five innings of work with six strikeouts. Hunter Barfoot and Moorer both relieved in the sixth inning.

In game two, Mac Moorer continued to pitch and took the lead into the sixth inning until two costly errors derailed the chance for the victory. ACA scored first in the top of the third as Moorer and William Milner both had run-scoring singles. Moorer held the Panthers down for five innings on an economical fifty pitches. Unfortunately, a defense that worked for him up until the sixth committed two critical errors.

The inning started with a walk and an error on a fly ball to left field. After a strikeout, PCA doubled in a run and scored again on a sac fly to tie the game, 2-2. A second walk put runners at first and third with two outs, but an infield error allowed the game-winning run to score for PCA. The Eagles went quietly in the seventh, three up and three down.

The offense produced five singles in the contest and no batter reached safely more than once. Mac Moorer took the loss despite giving up just one earned run over six innings with four strikeouts.  

Eagles Drop Series Opener Against PCA

Although the Eagles have played fifteen games entering the contest against PCA, the season really started Thursday afternoon in game one of the Area series against the Panthers. Over the next two weeks, four teams in class 3A Area 6 will compete for two playoff spots. The other teams, MA and St James, also started a series against each other on Thursday.

Both teams had been off for at least a week after spring break, but ACA came out lifeless and PCA jumped out to an early lead. The Panthers scored one in the top of the first on an RBI groundout. In the bottom half, Alabama Christian had two runners in scoring position but failed to produce the run-producing hit. ACA would eventually leave nine runners on base through the game. After PCA scored their second run on a bases-loaded walk, the number nine hitter launched a grand slam to make the score 6-0 and effectively secured the outcome after just an inning and a half. 

PCA added three more in the fifth for a 9-0 advantage. The Eagles finally crossed the plate in the fifth as Hayes Hunt and Mac Moorer hit back-to-back doubles. ACA scored a second run in the sixth but never mounted a real threat. In the seventh, trailing 10-2, the Eagles scored twice as the Panthers gladly traded runs for outs.

Hayes Hunt and Mac Moorer led the offense with two hits apiece as each drove in a run. Hunt took the loss on the mound with three strikeouts over five innings. Jackson McGuire pitched two effective innings in relief to end the game with two strikeouts.

Games two and three of the series will be played on Friday at PCA. 

Bats Come Alive as ACA Defeats Tallassee

Alabama Christian amassed twelve runs and thirteen hits in Thursday’s contest against Tallassee which is as many as they had over their last four games combined. The offensive output was a welcome sight and hopefully is a good sign as the team starts Area play in just two weeks.

Despite giving up a single, Hayes Hunt cruised through the first inning on just seven pitches as three of the four Tallassee batters swung at the first pitch. Hunt led off the bottom half with a walk and as Mac Moorer stepped into the box you just knew what was going to happen next. Sure enough, Moorer was hit by the first pitch he saw. Preston Hicks made the Tigers pay for the two free passes as he singled to center to drive in Hunt. Moorer later scored on an infield error to give ACA a 2-0 lead. Tallassee scored twice in the second inning to quickly tie the score, 2-2. Neither team scored in their next two at-bats, but a Landon Nelson diving catch in right field was the defensive play of the game in the third inning.

The Eagles took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Preston Hicks was intentionally walked and the hitters behind him made the Tigers pay. Hunter Barfoot walked to load the bases, Landon Nelson drove in two with a line drive single to center, Ari Bowman drove in another run with a single to right, and Jackson McGuire singled to left for two more runs after a Kaleb Hopkins walk. Five batters in a row delivered after the intentional pass to Hicks. The Tigers scored two in the fifth to cut the lead to three runs, but a double steal by ACA scored Mac Moorer for an 8-4 cushion.

Tallassee failed to score in the sixth and Alabama Christian scored four more times to put the game out of reach. William Milner drove in a run with a productive out, Hayes Hunt singled in Kaleb Hopkins, and Mac Moorer knocked in Jud Graham and Hunt for a 12-4 lead. Moorer relieved Hunt and pitched the seventh to close out the game.

Hayes Hunt picked up the win on the mound with a solid six innings as he gave up just three hits while striking out seven Tigers. Hunt helped himself at the plate as he was one of four players with two hits on the night. Ari Bowman, Preston Hicks and Mac Moorer each collected two hits. Hunt scored three runs to lead the team and Moorer, Jackson McGuire and Landon Nelson each drove in two runs.

If the rain holds off, ACA is scheduled to play Brew Tech on Friday for their next game.

Eagles Fall to Catholic in Another One Run Defeat

After winning 5-4 on Monday, ACA dropped one at Catholic by the same score. The Eagles scored two in the first inning and did not cross the plate again until the sixth. The tying run got on in the seventh in the person of Mac Moorer, but for the third time in the game, the Catholic catcher ended an inning throwing out an Eagle base runner.

In ACA’s half of the first, Hayes Hunt and Mac Moorer were both hit by pitch and Preston Hicks walked to start the action. Moorer is gaining a reputation for the ball finding him in the batter’s box. If he keeps getting hit at this pace his walk-up music will change to “You Wear it Well” by Rod Stewart or “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” by Pat Benatar. Hunt scored as Hunter Barfoot grounded into a double play and Landon Nelson had an infield hit to help Alabama Christian take a 2-0 lead. The Knights responded by scoring in each of the first three innings for a 5-2 advantage.

Mac Moorer came in to relieve Preston Hicks in the fourth and kept the Catholic bats in check. The sophomore faced the minimum over three innings with four strikeouts. In the top of the sixth, two Catholic errors and a pop single by Landon Nelson loaded the bases with no outs. William Milner worked a walk to drive in a run and, after a strikeout, Jud Graham drove in a run with a ground out to cut the lead to one run. However, the Eagles flew out with the bases loaded to end the threat. The Eagles failed to score in their final at-bat for the one-run loss.

Hayes Hunt and Landon Nelson each collected two hits to lead the offense. Nelson, William Milner and Jud Graham each drove in a run.

Alabama Christian returns to action Thursday night as Tallassee visits. 

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.