PREP UPDATE: Tallassee defeats Marbury to move to second round; St. James advances

By MICHAEL BUTLER/COMBINED REPORTS

For the second straight year, the Tallassee baseball team has advanced to the second round of the Class 5A playoffs. The Tigers won two of three in the weekend series over Marbury (22-8), including Saturday’s 3-2 win in the rubber match at Southside Field.

Brue Milner hit a two-run home run to put Tallassee on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the third. Marbury tied the game in the sixth on Carson Mills’ homer but the Tigers took the lead in the bottom half of the inning on a Bulldogs' error on a ball hit by Cash Gough that scored Brady Mason.

Chase Webster picked up the win in relief of Walker Wells, who went five and a third innings, giving up two earned runs while striking out four and walking four.

Milner went 4-for-7 in the series with the homer, a double and four RBIs. Webster was 5-for-9 at the plate with two RBIs in the series.

Tallassee won the opener 8-3 on Friday behind starter Brady Mason, who went five and two-third innings, allowing three earned runs. He struck out four and walked two.

Benton Howell countered with a five-inning complete game in the nightcap as Marbury won 11-1. The lefty allowed two hits. He struck out five and walked two.

This is the first time Tallassee has recorded post-season series wins in consecutive years since the 2010 and 2011 seasons.

Tallassee (17-8) will play host to Gulf Shores (26-10) in the second round on Friday. Friday’s doubleheader begins at 5 p.m. The “if’ game will be played Saturday at 1.

The two met in the 2005 Class 4A playoffs. The Dolphins won in the single-game first-round matchup 2-0.

St. James 15-8, Flomaton 1-0

FLOMATON -- Charlie Cutler and Tabor Offord combined to hold Flomaton to one hit over 12 innings as the Trojans swept a doubleheader in the first round of the 3A state playoffs on Friday night.

St. James (19-11) returns home to host Opp in a second-round series. The Trojans will play a Friday doubleheader starting at 4:30 p.m. A third game, if necessary, will be played on Saturday at noon. 

Cutler set the tone by throwing a no hitter in the first game, allowing an unearned run in a 15-1 game limited to five innings by the mercy rule.  

Conner Johnston had three RBIs to lead the Trojan offense. Braylen Corley, Caden Anderson and Benton Offord all added two RBIs each.

In the second game, Offord pitched a complete-game shutout, allowing just one hit while striking out 15 over seven innings in an 8-0 win. 

At the plate, Tabor had four RBIs and Cutler added three RBIs to lead the Trojan attack.

SOFTBALL

St. James 4-8, Providence Christian 1-7

DOTHAN -- St. James jumped out to an early lead in both games, holding off Providence Christian late in the second game to complete a doubleheader sweep of a pair of five-inning games on Saturday.

In the first game, Kaitlin Hudson went 3 for 3 and scored twice, Emily Darby went 1 for 3 and drove in a pair of runs and Arden Green went 2 for 3 as the Trojans defeated Providence Christian 4-1.

Emily Needham pitched the first three innings, allowing four hits and a run with one walk and six strikeouts. Aleigha Davis pitched the final two innings, allowing two hits with one strikeout.

Maddie Norris went 2 for 3 to lead Providence Christian, while Olivia Seabright went 1 for 2 and drove in the only run. Ella Houston pitched a complete game, allowing just one earned run on seven hits and a walk along with five strikeouts.

In the second game, St. James built an 8-1 lead after three innings, then held off a furious rally for an 8-7 win. Lily Stanford went 2 for 2, scoring twice and driving in a run, Darby went 2 for 3 with an RBI, Ava Stanford went 1 for 2, scored a run and had two RBIs and Sydney Johnston went 1 for 3, scored a run and had two RBIs.

Davis started in the circle and was followed by Peyton Middleton and Tat Shuford.

Houston led Providence at the plate, going 2 for 3 with an RBI. Addison Russ went 2 for 3 and scored twice. 

Trinity 11, Stanhope Elmore 4

MILLBROOK -- The Lady Wildcats got off to a strong start in the Stanhope Elmore tournament by defeating the tournament host 11-4. Mae Mae Milton got the win in the circle going four innings, giving up six hits and two earned runs while walking three. 

At the plate, Trinity was led by Marley Sharpless who went 3 for 3 with two RBIs and scored twice. Kate Knight was 2 for 3 with n RBI, scoring one run. Micaiah Shelton, Emma Rose Meldrum, Harper Johnson, Emory Harris and Mae Mae Milton each added a hit. 

Trinity 12, LAMP 3

MILLBROOK -- In the second pool game of the Stanhope Elmore tournament, The Lady Wildcats ran past the Golden Tigers 12-3.

In the circle, Marley Sharpless pitched three innings, allowing three hits and three earned runs while walking one and striking out two. 

At the plate, Micaiah Shelton and Emma Rose Meldrum both went 3 for 3, scoring three runs and driving in three more. Harper Johnson was 2 for 3 with four RBIs. Evie Knight, Marley Sharpless, Emory Harris, Mae Mae Milton and Kayleigh Creel each added a hit.

Holtville 17, Trinity 8

MILLBROOK -- In the bracket game of the Stanhope Elmore tournament, the Lady Wildcats got 10 hits but lost to Holtville 17-8. 

At the plate, Trinity was led by Micaiah Shelton, who went 2 for 3 with three RBIs, scoring twice. Evie Knight was 1 for 1 with a pair of walks while scoring two runs. Kate Knight got a hit with 2 RBIs, scoring once. Emma Rose Meldrum, Marley Sharpless and Harper Johnson each got a hit with an RBI. Mary Rutledge Morgan, Marie Yelverton and Kayleigh Creel each added a hit.

Trinity (8-9) will finish out the regular season this week with a home game on Tuesday against Catholic at 4 p.m., followed by a trip to Dadeville on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

Prattville Christian 13, Maplesville 2

PRATTVILLE -- The Panthers opened play in the PCA Round-Robin Tournament with a 13-2 win over the Red Devils as Alivia Messick struck out 11 batters. 

Sara Payton Schmidt went 3 for 4 with five RBIs, including a double and a home run, to lead PCA at the plate. Saniyah Weaver went 4 for 5, Kandice Crosby went 3 for 4 with an RBI, Erin Williams went 2 for 3 and Chloe Hollon added two hits, including a home run for PCA (19-4). 

Prattville Christian 6, Handley 4

PRATTVILLE -- Laura Beth NeSmith pitched a complete game to pick up the win in the circle as the Panthers defeated Handley 6-4 in the PCA Round-Robin Tournament on Saturday.

Chloe Hollon had two hits and 3 RBIs, including a home run, while Kandice Crosby went 2 for 3 and Saniyah Weaver went 2 for 4 for PCA (20-4).

Prattville Christian 9, T.R. Miller 4

PRATTVILLE -- Laura Beth NeSmith entered the game in relief of starter Alivia Messick with the game tied in the fourth inning and picked up the win as the Panthers defeated T.R. Miller 9-4 in a rain-shortened game in the PCA Round-Robin Tournament on Saturday.

At the plate, Saniyah Weaver and Payson Hanson both went 2 for3, Sara Payton Schmidt added a solo home run and NeSmith had a two-run home run. 

PCA (21-4) remains home to play Thorsby on Monday at 4:30 p.m. 

BOYS SOCCER

Montgomery Academy 10, Park Crossing 0

Ethan Yi scored four goals to lead the Eagles to an easy 10-0 win over Park Crossing on Saturday to complete 6A Area 4 play unbeaten.

Yi scored the first goal of the game and followed a Jacob Stubblefield goal with two more of his own for a quick 4-0 lead. Brewer Welch added a goal, followed by a Win Berry goal off an assist from John Allen Lachney before Yi booted his fourth goal of the game. 

Luis Rubio scored with an assist from Lachney before Berry added two more goals, the second with the help of an assist from Welch. 

Goalkeeper Hampton Welch had another clean sheet for the Eagles.

Montgomery Academy will close out the regular season with a game against Dothan High on Monday at McLemore Field, followed by the first round of the 6A state playoffs at home on Thursday against Stanhope Elmore.

TRACK AND FIELD

MA’s Johnson places second in shot put, second in discus 

TRUSSVILLE -- A portion of Montgomery Academy’s track team headed to Hewitt-Trussville on Friday night to get one more final competition in prior to sectionals this weekend. 

Isabella Johnson placed second in shot put, second in discus and seventh in javelin to lead the girls team. 

Knox Wingate place seventh in pole vault and Price McLemore placed seventh in the 3200-meter run to lead the boys.