CULLMAN – One day after the AHSAA 6A baseball quarterfinals were postponed due to inclement weather, Cullman stood out strong and ended Decatur's great season, sweeping the Red Raiders Saturday afternoon 4-1 and 2-1 at Bill Shelton Field.
What has been the trademark for the No. 1 team in 6A all season continued on a beautiful day with a huge crowd gathered to see two elite programs lay it out on the line. Cullman’s great pitching and timely hitting allowed them to continue their undefeated run in the playoffs, going 6-0 through three rounds.
Cullman faces the winner of the Hartselle-Hueytown series in the semis next weekend on the road. Hartselle won Game 1 by the score of 3-2 with Hueytown getting victory in game two by the final of 2-1 in nine innings.
The tiebreaker is set for 4:30 p.m. Monday at Sparkman Park in Hartselle.
Game 1:
Jacob Heatherly was good, and was able to get out of trouble with offensive support from his teammate, Owen Lovell.
Lovell gave Cullman a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a single to right field, scoring Noah Fondren, who led off with a single and moved into scoring position after a balk was called on Decatur pitcher Jackson Lovelace.
By the Decatur third, Heatherly had walked three Red Raiders, between eight strikeouts. He issued a base on ball to Charlie Crane with one out in the inning. Then Heatherly struck out Tanner Burns, who made contact with catcher Wheeler Eastman on an attempt to throw out Crane at second.
The plate umpire called interference, which resulted in an inning-ending double play and Cullman still up 1-0.
There was more trouble for Heatherly in Decatur's half of the fifth. Charlie Cushing was safe on a fielder's choice and moved to second when Crane got walked by Heatherly. Cushing advanced to third on a balk by Heatherly and scored the tying run when Burns flew to Lovell in center field, driving home Cushing.
Cullman's bats came to life in the fifth, taking pressure off Heatherly and putting the Bearcats on top to stay.
Fondren started the inning with a solid single to left; Levi Thomas singled into right center, bringing up Lovell with a golden opportunity to be productive in a clutch situation.
Lovell belted Lovelace's curve ball well past the American Flag in center field for a three-run shot and a 4-1 Cullman advantage.
Running low on pitches, Heatherly got through the sixth, walking Ladarius Woods, but stood strong with strikeouts of Lovelace, Jackson Hall and Jack Collins to end the inning. Heatherly finished with a no-hitter in six innings, walking seven, but getting 13 on strikeouts. He threw 115 pitches.
Kade Williams began the seventh in relief and struck out two in between a single by Cushing for the only hit Decatur could manage in game one, and a walk. Will Morrison worked to one batter, getting Jarred Howell to line to Lovell in center to end the game at 3 p.m.
Decatur batters struck out 15 times, despite seven walks, and left eight runners on base.
Fondren was 3-for-3 in the leadoff spot with two runs scored, while Lovell delivered with a run-scoring single and three-run homer in three plate appearances. The Bearcats also got singles from Eastman, Caleb Lipsey and Thomas.
Game 2:
Batting first to open the second game, the Bearcats plated two runs against Burns, Decatur's ace hurler. Heatherly doubled home Fondren and later scored on Carter Bowen's double.
Morrison, who finished with a save in the opener, was in good control from the beginning. The right-hander allowed a home run by Burns in the third that closed the deficit to 2-1.
Morrison then worked out of trouble in the third and stayed aggressive the rest of the way, getting a complete game performance. He allowed an infield single with one out in the seventh, then retired Burns and Lovelace on fly balls to Carson Freeman in right and Lovell in center with the Bearcats celebrating their latest postseason triumph.
Coach Brent Patterson and the squad learned of the Hartselle-Hueytown outcome shortly after enjoying time with one another and the spectators that were sitting in the stands in center field.
A lot of people will make their way to Hartselle Monday to see for themselves if the Bearcats' semifinal series will be a short trip into Morgan County or at least approximately 90 miles south into Jefferson County. Cullman is 35-7 on the season with Decatur's season ending at 32-5.
Cullman has outscored the opposition 48-4 with three shutouts in the postseason and held a powerful Decatur team to two runs in 14 innings.
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