RRS NOTES: Prattville still alive in 7A Area tournament; Billingsley, Macon East win in baseball; Catholic hires volleyball coach

COMBINED REPORTS

Prattville dropped its first game in the 7A Area 3 tournament at Enterprise, then battled back to reach the finals, earning a spot in next week’s Central Regional at Lagoon Park.

The Lions opened play with a nine-inning loss to Dothan, giving up three runs in the ninth inning to the Wolves and falling into the elimination round of the double-elimination tournament with a 6-3 loss.

Kaytie Chandler started for the Lions in the circle and went 7.1 innings, allowing six hits and three earned runs while striking out five. Kylie Jarman came on in relief and pitched the final 1.2 innings, giving up three runs to take the loss.

Sarah Grace Jones led the Lions at the plate, going 2 for 4 with a double and a triple while driving in three runs.

Prattville bounced back with a pair of run-rule victories, defeating Robert E. Lee and Jeff Davis to reach the finals of the elimination round.

In the 15-0 win over Lee, Jones went two innings, striking out five while allowing no hits. Ellie Davis pitched the third inning, striking out three.

At the plate, Chandler went 2 for 2 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs, Kaylee Robles went 2 for 2 with a double and an RBI, Jodie Gentry went 1 for 1 with three RBIs, Jarman went 1 for 2 with a double and Zarria Bozeman went 1 for 2 with a triple and an RBI.

In the 15-0 win over Jeff Davis, Jarman allowed no hits in four innings, striking out eight.

At the plate, Jones went 2 for 4 with a double and five RBIs, Jarman went 3 for 3 with an RBI and four runs scored, Chandler went 1 for 3 with a triple and three RBIs, Zandia Bozeman went 2 for 3 with an RBI and Kennedy Crum went 2 for 3 with an RBI.

In the rematch with Dothan, Chandler allowed six hits and a run in seven innings while striking out five in a 5-1 victory.

Chandler also went 2 for 4 at the plate. Robles went 2 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs, Jones went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI and Zarria Bozeman went 1 for 3 with an RBI to earn a berth in the regionals and reach the championship game of the area tournament.

In the championship game, Prattville fell to the Wildcats 7-0 to finish as the Area 3 runner-up. Jarman took the loss in the circle, allowing seven hits and five earned runs while striking out five in six innings of work.

At the plate, Jarman, Robles and Maddie Putteet all went 1 for 3, while Jones went 1 for 2.

Prattville and Enterprise will take a week off before returning to action in the Central Regional on Thursday at 9 a.m. Prattville (24-23) will face the Area 4 winner, likely Central-Phenix City, while Enterprise will play the Area 4 runner-up, likely Auburn. The winners of those two games will meet in the winner’s bracket finals later that day at 1:45 p.m., with the winner advancing to the state tournament.

The losers of the first-round game will play at 1:45 p.m., with the winner of that game facing the loser of the winner’s bracket game at 4:45 p.m. to earn the second qualifying spot in the state tournament. 

Billingsley, Leroy split two games in 1A quarterfinals

The Billingsley Bears (23-4) took the first game of the Class 1A quarterfinal doubleheader against Leroy on Wednesday, earning a 5-1 victory. Leroy (19-18) came back to win Game 2, 8-4, to stay alive in the series.

The two will play the deciding Game 3 today at 1 p.m. at Leroy. The winner will advance to the semifinals to face either Sweet Water or Brantley.

Macon East baseball sweeps Lee-Scott to earn shot at Class AAA title

BESSEMER -- Jabe Boroff hit a two-run walkoff home run in the bottom of the eighth to give Macon East Academy a 6-5 win over Bessemer Academy and a sweep of the Rebels in the best-of-three semifinals series at Bessemer Academy on Wednesday.

Macon East (32-9) will play Glenwood School in a best-of-three championship series in a doubleheader on Wednesday at Paterson Field at 10 a.m. A third game, if necessary, will be played on Thursday at 11 a.m.

Glenwood advanced to the finals by sweeping Lee-Scott Academy, 5-3 and 1-0.

Macon East weathered a rocky first game with offense, outlasting the Rebels 13-10. The defending AA state champions, now competing in AAA this season, turned to defense to win the second game before Boroff’s blast rescued them from a one-run deficit in the eighth inning.

In the first game, a 13-10 Macon East victory, Jack Jones had three hits and two RBIs and Matthew Kitchens had three hits and an RBI, while Gunner Justice had two hits and two RBIs and Deonte Powell had two hits and an RBI.

Kitchens started the first game and picked up the win with five innings on the mound. Bryant Morrison earned the save, allowing just one run in two-inning relief as he pitched the sixth and seventh innings.

In the second game, Justice, Kitchens, Boroff, Barrett Spaeth and Thad McKinney each had two hits as the Knights and Rebels went to the eighth inning in a 4-4 tie.

Powell started and pitched the first four innings, allowing two runs. Sawyer Nelson picked up the win in relief. 

Denham new Catholic volleyball coach

Catholic officials announced the hiring of Jenn Denham as the school’s new volleyball coach on Thursday, replacing Sellers Dubberley.

Dubberley coached the Knights to the volleyball finals for the past two years against Trinity, winning a championship in 2022. Denham, likewise, coached Sacred Heart in Sedalia, Mo., to back-to-back trips to the finals in 2021 and 2022, winning Missouri state championships both years.

Denham continued to coach club volleyball in various cities as she moved because of her husband Randy’s work. In 2011, she moved to Montgomery and started coaching at Capital City Juniors volleyball club and was the assistant volleyball coach at Faulkner University before becoming a coach at Arizona Christian University from 2012-2014. 

 “We are extremely excited to be able to bring Coach Denham into our volleyball and Montgomery Catholic community,” said Catholic athletic director Daniel Veres. “I can't wait to get her started so she can meet all the girls and their families. I know they will all be ecstatic.”