ALL-STAR WEEK: North baseball takes first, ties second over South

LAMP’s Andrew Lutz was one of several local players to play in Monday’s North-South baseball game at Riverwalk Stadium. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

Being selected as an all-star baseball player for Alabama All-Stars Sports Week was a huge honor for St. James outfielder Clint Houser.

Playing the game in the middle of July might not have been very good timing for the Trojan senior, who has spent much of his month in workouts at wide receiver and defensive back for the defending 3A state champions and hasn’t had a chance to practice any baseball. 

“I went to the batting cages one day, which was Friday, and that was it,” Houser said. “I was a little rusty, but it wasn’t that bad.”

Houser and his teammates struggled in Monday’s all-star doubleheader at Riverwalk Stadium, falling to the North all-stars 11-4 in the first game and losing the lead late in a 5-5 tie in the nightcap.

The North jumped on the South for five runs in the opener, added a run in each of the next three innings and added three more runs in the fifth on the way to an 11-4 victory. Holtville’s Drey Barrett struggled with control in the first inning, giving up a pair of hits and walking three batters as the North scored five runs, two earned, in the first inning. 

The North all-star pitchers had a little better control and took advantage of an early lead in the first game. 

Houser drew a walk in his first at-bat in the third, drew another walk in the seventh and scored on a Kaden Harrell single and singled in the sixth inning of the second game and later scored for a 5-3 lead, which was wiped out in the bottom half of the inning. In four trips to the plate, he walked twice, singled, grounded out and scored twice.  

“I think the only part that is mental is hitting,” Houser said. “I haven’t seen pitches coming from a pitcher in a minute. I just had to get dialed in on that. But it felt good to showcase my talent, from what they saw in me to get me out here and selected to play. I enjoyed that.” 

LAMP catcher Andrew Lutz didn’t have his best day at the plate, but got the opportunity to play behind the plate in both games of the doubleheader. He flied out to right field and struck out three times, but came up with one of the top defensive plays in the game on a strikeout throw to third base to catch the stealing John Head for the third out in the third inning of the second game. 

“It was a great experience, just getting the recognition and the opportunity to be out here,” Lutz said. “It didn’t go exactly like I wanted, but it never does and that’s the great part about the game. There’s more than one way to help the team and today it was defensively. It wasn’t my day at the plate.

“I saw some of the best pitching I’ve seen in a while. Time to get back to work.”

Pike Road third baseman Drew Britton also played in both games for the South, popping up to second, striking out and flying out to center field in the first game and singling in a run and later scoring in the second game before striking out in the seventh inning of the second game.

Benjamin Russell’s Gabriel Benton was the most valuable player for the South all-stars, going 2 for 2 with a pair of RBIs in the opener while pitching one inning of one-hit relief. He went 1 for 2 in the second game. 

Gordo pitcher Landon Fike earned most valuable player honors for the North, going 1 for 2 with a two-run single in the fifth inning of the first game while pitching two innings of one-hit relief. He drew a walk and struck out in the second game. 

The North now leads the annual series 23-16 with three ties dating back to 1997.

27TH ALABAMA ALL-STARS SPORTS WEEK

Monday’s results

Girls golf – North 48.4-41-5 (North leads 3-1)

Boys golf -- North 55-35 (North leads 4-0)

Baseball – North 11-5, South 4-5 (North leads 23-16-3)

TUESDAY

Girls cross country – 8 a.m., Gateway Park

Boys cross country – 8:30 a.m., Gateway Park

Girls tennis – 5 p.m., Lagoon Park Tennis Complex

Boys tennis -- 5 p.m., Lagoon Park Tennis Complex

Girls basketball – 5 p.m, Multiplex at Cramton Bowl

Boys basketball – 6:45 p.m., Multiplex at Cramton Bowl

WEDNESDAY

Softball – 4 p.m., Lagoon Park Softball Complex

Girls soccer – 5 p.m., Emory Folmar YMCA Soccer Complex

Boys soccer – 7 p.m., Emory Folmar YMCA Soccer Complex

THURSDAY

Volleyball – 2 p.m., Multiplex at Cramton Bowl