Matthew McDonald hits a solo homerun to put West Point up 8-0 in its game one win over Mortimer Jordan Friday. (Nick Griffin for The Tribune)
2018 AHSAA Baseball 5A State Playoffs: Round 2
Game 1: West Point 8, Mortimer Jordan, 1
WEST POINT – The West Point Warriors split a pair of blowout games with Mortimer Jordan Friday night in front of one of the largest crowds to ever watch a game at the Warriors’ home field. In the first play-off game ever played at West Point, the Warriors collected 12 hits in a loud and emotional 8-1 win. Matthew McDonald got the start on the mound and after hitting a couple of batters early on, settled in and went all seven for the Warriors, picking up four strikeouts and allowing just one run on five hits. Mortimer Jordan’s run came in the top of the seventh after being held scoreless for six straight innings. McDonald led the way for West Point at the plate as well, going 3-for-4 with an RBI double and a solo homerun.
The Warriors took an early 1-0 lead on an RBI single from Hunter Persall and scored again in the third on an RBI single from Sam Briehn. McDonald made it 3-0 with an RBI double off the fence in left center field in the fifth inning before West Point’s bats pulled away in the sixth.
Whitt Laney got things started with an RBI single that made it 4-0 and just a couple of pitches later Levi Allred singled through the infield to make it 5-0. A sixth run came home on a throwing error after Allred’s hit and a balk from the pitcher made it 7-0 with McDonald at the plate. McDonald made it 8-0 with a solo shot over the deck in right field that cleared the dugout and secured the win for the Warriors. Mortimer Jordan was able to come up with a run in the seventh but couldn’t chip away at the lead any more than that and the Warriors took a 1-0 lead in the series.
Game two was a different story for both teams.
Game 2: West Point 0, Mortimer Jordan, 12
Mortimer Jordan jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and continued to add to its lead with five more runs in the third and two in the fourth to take game to 12-0 in just five innings. The Warriors weren’t able to come up with a hit against Blue Devils’ ace Dalton Hall and struck out eight times in the loss.
The rubber match to see who will advance to round three will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday at West Point High School.
2018 AHSAA Baseball 6A State Playoffs: Round 2
Game 1: Cullman 9, Pell City, 1
PELL CITY – The Cullman Bearcats traveled to Pell City Friday night for a round two match-up and were able to come up with two road wins to advance to round three. Michael Myers got the start in game one and went the distance for the ‘Cats, allowing just one run on three hits and collecting five strikeouts.
At the plate, Cullman put together a strong group effort in which six Bearcats recorded a hit and five recorded an RBI. The ‘Cats struck first when Weston Norton scored Cooper Beck from third on a fielder’s choice in the top of the first. The Panthers responded with an RBI single in the bottom of the inning and for the next five innings both starters dueled it out on the mound.
It wasn’t until the top of the sixth that the Bearcats were finally able to square some balls up and push runs across. Grayson Taylor put Cullman ahead 2-1 with an RBI single and in the next at bat, Brennan Norton doubled into center field to make it 3-1. Norton later came around to score on an error that made it 4-1 and Hayden Henderson followed that up with an RBI single to go up 5-1. Cullman added two more runs on walks in the seventh and two runs on hits. Dylon Wallace brought a run in on a fielder’s choice and Taylor scored on a wild pitch to make it 9-1. Myers got the final three outs in the bottom of the inning and put away the 9-1 win.
Game 2: Cullman 5, Pell City, 3
Game two saw Will Morrison take the mound for Cullman and after striking out 10 Panthers in the first four innings, the ‘Cats starter went six-and-a-third allowing three runs on just two hits and finishing with a total of 15 strikeouts.
Morrison also drove in two runs at the plate along with Peyton Colvard who plated two runs as well. Grayson Taylor was also a big part of the ‘Cats offense, leading the team with two hits.
After two scoreless innings, Pell City managed to score two runs on two hit batters in the top of the third, but Cullman responded in the bottom of the inning with an RBI double from Colvard that tied the game at two. Cullman went up 3-0 on an error later in the inning.
Pell City tied the game at three with an RBI single in the fourth but the ‘Cats took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth with a two-RBI single into left field from Morrison. After holding Pell City scoreless for a little more than two more innings, Morrison handed the ball off to Braxton Jones who picked up the final two outs and the save in the 5-3 win.
The Bearcats advance to play Homewood on the road next Friday at 5 p.m.
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