PREP ROUNDUP: Marbury, MA take FCA Tourney wins
Catholic’s JC Hardigree fields a bunt in FCA Tournament action at Paterson Field on Monday. (By Tim Gayle)
COMBINED REPORTS
One team was learning from its changes, another was about to make some.
Marbury (5-4) had struggled on offense in losses to Central-Phenix City and Thompson, failing to deliver the key hit in the bottom half of the lineup.
“That’s one of the adjustments we made as a staff,” Marbury coach Wade Atchley said. “We wanted to make sure that we did a better job of finding barrels in the bottom of the order. We didn’t do that early. We started moving guys around, we found a few guys that we basically brought in and said this is what we’re going to need you to do. They’ve accepted it and it’s been fun to watch.”
The Bulldogs got a 4-for-4 performance from their No. 7 hitter, Gabe Causey, and a 2-for-3 effort from the No. 8 hitter, Kyle Gibbons, in a 15-3 win over Catholic in the 27th Jason Armstrong Memorial Baseball Tournament at Paterson Field on Monday night.
And while the Bulldogs could walk out of the stadium feeling good about themselves, the Knights (3-4) had a heart-to-heart meeting for 15 minutes in the locker room after the game as Catholic coach Aubrey Blackwell searched for the same intensity from his team in a win over St. James a few days earlier.
“We hit six balls on the nose and didn’t get the breaks tonight, but we didn’t have the energy to get the breaks tonight,” Blackwell said. “We were flat, we didn’t compete at a high level. And to win baseball games against another scrappy group, you’ve got to be scrappy and we weren’t scrappy tonight.
“I teach baseball the same way I teach football: you’ve got to be competitive and we didn’t get after it tonight. We didn’t make it a personal vendetta to try and beat them tonight and it showed.”
Early on, the game was one of opportunity as Marbury’s bottom half of the batting order scored a pair of runs in both the second and third innings. Causey’s two-out single in the second was followed by Gibbons, who reached base on an error. After a walk loaded the bases, Jack Thompson singled in both players for a 2-0 lead.
In the third, Causey’s single to left capped another two-run inning for a 4-1 lead.
“We’ve worked really hard this offseason,” Atchley said. “It was one of our points of emphasis back in August when school started, to really, really work hard and make sure we’re doing the proper things at the plate. I think all the long hard work is finally starting to pay off for us a little bit.”
Catholic, with the same opportunity in the second inning, managed one run on a bases-loaded single by Austin Cleghorn before Nate Downes grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Cleghorn was one of the bright spots for the Knights, going 3 for 3 with an RBI. Marcus Dees and Pat Ryan both went 2 for 3, with Ryan scoring a run and driving in another.
Freshman Caleb Kenyon picked up the win, allowing one run on six hits while striking out three and hitting a batter in five innings of work.
“We’re trying to get him some innings,” Atchley said. “I’m trying to get him accustomed to this level, the speed of the game, just get him going. I thought he did really well.”
The game got out of hand in the sixth and seventh innings as the Bulldogs feasted on Catholic relievers. Thirteen batters drove in seven runs with seven hits in the sixth and 10 batters added four runs in the seventh. Thompson and Landon Bryson had three RBIs on the day, while Hunter Kuczmarski and Gibbons drove in two each.
Both teams return to action in the tournament on Wednesday, weather permitting, with Marbury playing G.W. Carver at 3 p.m. at Riverwalk Stadium and Catholic playing Tallassee at 4 p.m. at Paterson Field.
St. James 3, Tallassee 2
Ethan Beard’s two-run single in the bottom of the sixth broke a 1-1 tie and lifted the Trojans to a 3-2 win over the Tigers at Riverwalk Stadium on Monday.
Beard had two hits in the win. Collier Dean drove in Kevin Taylor, a courtesy runner for catcher Alex Whisenhunt, with a single in the first inning for the Trojans’ first run.
Wilson Carter picked up the win in relief. Brock Woodham nailed down the victory in the seventh to earn the save.
Monday’s game was the only one in the Jason Armstrong Memorial Baseball Tournament for St. James (2-4), who turns to area play later in the week. The Trojans will travel to Montgomery Academy for a Thursday game at 4:30 p.m., then host the Eagles for a Friday doubleheader beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Montgomery Academy 6, Brewbaker Tech 1
Four Eagle pitchers scattered three hits and Mac Main drove in a pair of runs as Montgomery Academy closed out play in the Jason Armstrong Memorial Baseball Tournament with a 6-1 win over the Rams on Monday at Riverwalk Stadium.
Starter Britton Kohn picked up the win, pitching two innings of no-hit ball while striking out four. Jon Clarke Woodward allowed one hit in two innings while striking out two and Cam Holmes allowed two hits in two innings while striking out two. Harris Gowan closed out the seventh by retiring the Rams in order, striking out one, to pick up the save.
Main went 1 for 4 while driving in a pair of runs, William Norrell went 1 for 4 with an RBI and Carter Wallis went 1 for 3 with an RBI.
Cody Willis, Justin Allen and Chapel Conway all went 1 for 3 for Brew Tech and Melvin Gatson drove in a run. Conway took the loss in 3.1 innings of work before turning the game over to Allen, who allowed five runs in 2.2 innings.
Montgomery Academy (3-2) closed out play in the tournament with a 2-0 record and now turns its attention to area play. The Eagles will play host to St. James on Thursday in a single game beginning at 4:30 p.m., then travel to St. James to play the Trojans in a Friday doubleheader beginning at 4:30 p.m.
27th FCA JASON ARMSTRONG MEMORIAL BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
THURSDAY
Montgomery Academy 11, Highland Home 3
MONDAY
Montgomery Academy 6, Brewbaker Tech 1
Marbury 15, Catholic 3
St. James 3, Tallassee 2
PREVIOUS GAMES
BASEBALL
Alabama Christian 10-13, Brewbaker Tech 0-2
Zac Westbrook pitched a no-hitter in the opener and went 2 for 3 with a double, a triple and an RBI in the second game to complete a sweep of the Rams on Friday at the AUM Baseball Complex.
Westbrook struck out five in the opener, shortened to five innings by the 10-run mercy rule. KJ Kendrick and Caden Perry both went 2 for 2 and drove in a pair of runs, Brandon Bice went 2 for 3 with an RBI and Thomas Stovall went 1 for 2 with a double, driving in a run.
In the second game, Copeland Hilyer picked up the win, allowing two hits and striking out two in two innings of work. In addition to Westbrook’s bat, the Eagles had offensive help from Taylor Thornton, who went 2 for 3 with an RBI, Kendrick, who went 1 for 3 with a double and drove in a pair of runs and Bice, who went 1 for 2 and drove in a pair of runs.
Alabama Christian (4-3) returns to action on Tuesday against Luverne in the 27th Jason Armstrong Memorial Baseball Tournament at Paterson Field at 4 p.m.
Tallassee 2, Pike Road 1
Matt Baker’s walk-off home run lifted Tallassee over Pike Road on Friday.
Baker finished with two hits to lead the Tigers. Devin Lee was the winning pitcher.
Macon East Academy 8-8, Chambers Academy 4-1
LaFAYETTE – The Knights got a strong pitching effort from starters Clay Slagle and Derrick Hooks to sweep the Rebels 8-4 and 8-1 in a doubleheader on Friday.
In the first game, Slagle pitched five innings of shutout ball, allowing just one hit while striking out six and walking one. Zach Kitchens pitched the sixth and seventh innings in relief of Slagle.
Issac Gardner took the loss for Chambers Academy, who allowed no hits in his one inning of work but was tagged for four runs.
Logan Hines and Nick Marshall each had two hits for Macon East (4-3).
In the second game, Hooks struck out nine, walked one and allowed just three hits in five innings before Cole Hines came on to pitch the sixth and seventh innings.
Jordan Benbrook took the loss for Chambers Academy, allowing four runs on three hits over 2.2 innings while striking out three.
Cole Hines and Parker Whittle each collected multiple hits for the Knights.
Macon East (5-3) returns home to play Lowndes Academy on Monday.
SOFTBALL
Alabama Christian 8, Auburn 5
Dale County 12, Alabama Christian 4
Providence Christian 11, Alabama Christian 1
Chelsea 10, Alabama Christian 2
AUBURN – Alabama Christian participated in the Auburn High School Invitational recently, winning one game and losing two.
In the win over Auburn, Rose Costanza pitched five innings and struck out five to lead the Eagles to a win. Aniya Jackson and Haley Pittman each hit three-run homers for ACA.
Against Dale County, Jackson had a solo home run while Monica Willingham had two hits including a double and drove in two runs. Ingram had a double and an RBI in the loss.
Against Providence Christian, the Eagles couldn’t find timely hits in the opener in the Auburn Invitational on Friday, falling 11-1.
Pittman took the loss in four innings of work, striking out seven. Rose Costanza struck out two in two innings of relief.
Haley Ingram drove in the Eagles’ only run with a solo home run and finished with two hits. Costanza had a pair of hits and Aniya Jackson had three hits for ACA.
In the loss to Chelsea, Costanza struck out four in five innings of work and took the loss in the circle.
Ingram, Jackson and Haley Oswald had one hit each
ACA plays Tuesday at Stanhope Elmore.