SPRING ROUNDUP: ACA clinches Area baseball title; MA girls dominate sectional tennis

The Montgomery Academy girls tennis team won the Class 6A Section 2 tennis tournament on Thursday. The Lady Eagles will move onto the state tournament next week in Mobile. (Contributed)

COMBINED REPORTS

Alabama Christian Academy 17-15, Booker T. Washington 0-0

Isaac Warrick threw a no-hitter and Zac Westbrook followed up with a one-hitter as Alabama Christian Academy overwhelmed the Golden Eagles 17-0 and 15-0 to clinch the 4A Area 3 championship on Thursday at the AUM Dixie Baseball Complex.

Alabama Christian (17-10-1) won its ninth consecutive game in the process and improved to 5-1 in area play, rebounding from a loss to St. James in its first area game to win the next five for the area championship. St. James also finished 5-1 but lost the tiebreaker to ACA and officially will finish as the Area 3 runner up.

In the opener, Westbrook went 2 for 3 with a double and two RBIs, Jalen Clark went 2 for 2 and drove in a pair of runs and Hayes Hunt went 1 for 2 and drove in a pair of runs. Warrick struck out five in a complete-game performance and helped himself at the plate, going 1 for 3 with a pair of RBIs. 

Mason Prestage also drove in a pair of runs, going 1 for 2 with a double.

In the second game, Westbrook struck out seven in a complete-game performance and was helped offensively by Taylor Thornton, who went 2 for 2 with a double and a pair of RBIs. Preston Hicks and Parker Mock also had a hit and drove in a pair of runs and Chase Madrid and Carson Horn each had a hit and drove in a run. 

ACA will be at home for the first round of the 4A state playoffs in a best-of-three series starting April 23.

Trinity 11, Prattville Christian Academy 0
PRATTVILLE -- Ben Easterling struck out 11 and held the Panther bats to a pair of hits in a dominating performance to help Trinity grab the 3A Area 6 championship with an 11-0 win at PCA on Thursday. 

Walton Cherry went 2 for 3 and drove in three runs and Easterling helped his own cause with a 1 for 2 performance, driving in three runs, as the Wildcats’ offense recorded 11 or more runs for the fifth time in the last seven games. 

Grayson Ashe went 1 for 3 with two RBIs and Preston Berry went 2 for 2 to help Trinity win its eighth consecutive game.

The area series wraps up with a doubleheader against PCA on Friday at Jason Armstrong Field. The Wildcats will hold Senior Day on Monday with a game against Gordo, then host the first round of the 3A state playoffs on April 23.

SOFTBALL
Tallassee 14, Brewbaker Tech 4

The Tigers rallied from a 2-0 deficit with five runs in the fifth, added three more in the sixth and put the game away with a six-run seventh to clinch the top seed in the upcoming 5A Area 5 tournament with a 14-4 win over the Rams at Lagoon Park on Thursday.

Taniyah Brown struck out nine in a complete-game performance for Brew Tech, but an error opened the door for the Tallassee rally in the fifth and the Tigers never looked back in claiming their third win over Brew Tech this season.

Abbie Davis, Chloe Baynes and Chloe Davidson all had two hits to lead Tallassee. Avary Lumpkin had four RBIs and Lexi Love and Baynes each added two RBIs for the Tigers. 

Alexis Walls picked up the win in the circle, striking out three in seven innings of work.

Brew Tech (22-6) will play host to Pike Road on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. to decide the second and third seeds in the upcoming area tournament. 

Catholic 14, Jeff Davis 2

McKenzie Norton had four hits, scored four runs and drove in four more to lead the Knights to an easy win over Jeff Davis on Thursday at Lagoon Park. 

Alanna Aiken got the win, pitching five innings, striking out seven batters and allowing just one earned run. 

Offensively for Catholic, Chloe Walden had three hits and two RBIs, Carissa Gilbert had three hits, Nona Johnson scored three runs, Auburn Wilcoxson had a pair of hits and Riley Wilcoxson scored twice and drove in a pair of runs. 

Catholic (13-10-1) travels to Auburn to play in the Beauregard tournament on Friday, facing 6A Wetumpka at 4 p.m. and 6A Eufaula at 6:30 p.m.

BOYS SOCCER
Prattville Christian 10, Thomasville 0
PRATTVILLE -- Matthew Lisle scored five goals and assisted on two more as the Panthers wrapped up the 1A-3A Region 3 championship with an easy win over Thomasville at Panther Stadium on Thursday. 

Trey Barkley added three goals and four assists. Jake Davis and Carson Roberson each had a goal and an assist. Brady Roberson added an assist. 

Grant Scott recorded the shutout in goal. 

PCA (7-5) will host the first round of the playoffs on Tuesday, April 27. PCA’s next game is at home against Elmore County on Monday.

In the junior varsity game, Liam Taylor scored three goals and Kyle Zerkel added a goal and an assist as Prattville Christian defeated Holtville 4-1. Jacob Hollon and James Weissinger each had an assist. The PCA junior varsity (3-1-2) will host Elmore County on Monday.

TENNIS

MA girls dominate Sectional

Defending 4A-5A state champion Montgomery Academy put on a dominating performance in the Class 6A Section 2 Tournament at O’Connor Tennis Center, sweeping the competition 9-0 on Thursday.

Montgomery Academy won all six singles matches, with Trinity finishing as runner-up in five of the six matches. Both the champion and the runner-up advance to the state tournament in Mobile next week.

At No. 1, Gabby Barrera defeated Savanah Symons of Eufaula in the semifinals, 6-0, 6-0, then beat Trinity’s Sydney Speagle in the finals, 6-1, 6-1.

At No. 2, Jenna Chandler defeated Lakenya Laseter of Eufaula in the semifinals, 6-0, 6-0, then beat Opelika’s Laura Tyson Daffin in the finals, 6-1, retired.

At No. 3, Mae Mae Voltz defeated Jamiyah Franklin of Eufaula in the semifinals, 6-0, 6-0, then beat Trinity’s Mary Elizabeth Hill in the finals, 6-1, 6-2.

At No. 4, McRae Freeman defeated Samantha Martin of Eufaula in the semifinals, 6-0, 6-0, then beat Trinity’s Margaret Roby in the finals, 6-1, 6-1.

At No. 5, Ann Cobern Chapman defeated Jakayla Franklin of Eufaula in the semifinals, 6-0, 6-0, then beat Trinity’s Stella Kate Grayson in the finals, 6-2, 6-1. 

At No. 6, Kareena Singh beat Zoe Hawkins of Eufaula in the semifinals, 6-0, 6-0, then beat Trinity’s Kensley Williamson in the finals, 6-2, 6-0.

The Eagles also swept the doubles competition, with Chandler-Voltz winning at No. 1, Barrera-Freeman at No. 2 and MaryLee Kelso and Cate Peeples at No. 3.