CULLMAN – Cullman's current baseball team stepped aside last weekend to allow former Bearcats to relive their glory days in the second annual Alumni Day at Bill Shelton Field.
The activities featured a home run derby then a game between former Bearcat players. The odd graduates got the best of the even grads by the score of 14-5.
Coordinated by coach Brent Patterson, the alumni day reflects on the success of Cullman baseball in the last 15 years. The Bearcats have won four Alabama High School Athletic Association championships in that span and been the runner-up four other times.
The success that began with the school's first state championship in 2002, serves as motivation for the current squad, who is 24-6, on top in Class 6A, Area 14 play and ranked second in the state prep poll.
An alumni dinner was held Saturday night at Terri Pines Country Club to get the weekend festivities underway.
On Sunday afternoon, 19 former Bearcats took part in the home run derby. Eight were able to put one over the fence, with 2007 grad Chris Cain leading after the preliminary round with four, followed by 2009 grad Drew Bryson and 2011 grad Matthew Britton with two to earn a spot to the finals.
Then Britton, who went on to play for Mississippi State University, got into a groove, belting three straight home runs to start the final round and finishing with nine. Two of them were solid blasts that went over the scoreboard in right-center field.
Cain took second with four while Bryson was third with two in the championship segment.
The finalists were all left-handed hitters, dominating the competition with 11 leaving the field in the preliminary. The only home run by a right hander was Josh Phillips. Several balls just missed going out with several landing well into the parking lot outside the right-field area.
Then the game took place with odd classes meeting players who graduated in an even-numbered year.
The odd team included Josh Phillips, Josh Goodwin, Ben Moore, Matthew Britton, Colby Lawrence, Aaron Avery, Drew Bryson, Wesley Sams, Chris Cain, CJ Shearer, Matt Norrell, Zach Roden and Will Carter.
Playing for the even squad were Matt Drake, Joey Shearer, Mark Stephens (current assistant principal and athletic director at CHS), Caleb Clay, Matt Dellinger, Weston Bates, Jacob Dellinger, Whit Ford, Ben Sellers, AJ Johnson, Robbie Laney, Todd Graveman, Jeremy Peek and Blake Bright.
Buddy Shearer and Dion Johnson handled the duties coaching the evens while the odds were under guidance by a committee featuring Bryson, Phillips, Britton and Lawrence.
Bryson started on the mound for the odds and struck out the side in the bottom of the first. Bates was given the ball to begin the pitching duties for the evens.
Bryson had four runs batted in while Phillips, Moore, Goodwin and Cain provided assistance at the plate as well. A nine-run fourth inning broke the game open.
But what really mattered was the fellowship shared by the former players, with the oldest being Stephens and Joseph Lambert, who graduated in 1994 and 1996, respectively. Several of these Bearcats went on to play collegiate baseball with Clay and Moore drafted by the majors.
The current Bearcat team assisted by chasing foul balls throughout the derby and game. Wheeler Eastman served as the pitcher for the home run derby.
In total, 28 former Cullman players returned to Bill Shelton Field on Sunday for a moment they will never forget.
The current Cullman team resumes its schedule on Tuesday in an area game at home vs. Brewer at 5 p.m.
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