By Erik Harris, sports editor
The Hewitt-Trussville baseball team claimed a key area win against Spain Park on Tuesday, while Springville earned its 20th win at home against Leeds.
See game recaps below.
Hewitt-Trussville 4, Spain Park 2
Kurt Kizer connected with the go-ahead knock on Tuesday night in Hoover.
The sophomore infielder doubled home two runs in the top of the seventh inning to break a tie and send top-ranked Hewitt-Trussville home with a 4-2 Area 6 win. His game-winning smack went back up the middle to score Trey Burrell and Ethan Duhon, who started the inning with a single and a walk, respectively.
The game remained scoreless until the top of the fifth when the Huskies (26-3, 4-1) struck for a pair thanks to a sacrifice fly from Matt Miller and a passed ball that scored Duhon. No. 10 Spain Park would even things back up at 2 after loading the bases in the sixth. Riley Quick walked in the first Jaguar run and Joseph Green sent the second in with a hit-by-pitch.
Quick threw 5 ⅔ innings with nine strikeouts, four walks, five hits allowed and two runs. Skylar Jones worked the bottom of the seventh, protecting the two-run lead with two Ks and a groundout.
The win guarantees Hewitt-Trussville a spot in the Class 7A state playoffs.
Springville 6, Leeds 1
A six-run third inning was all Class 6A Springville needed against Class 5A No. 3 Leeds on Tuesday. Five different Tigers knocked in runs to break a scoreless tie and Springville marched on to a 6-1 home win.
With postseason play already locked up, the Tigers (20-10, 4-2) threw six different pitchers on Tuesday. The combination of Trey Windle, Ethan Davis, Jordan Nichols, Josh Hunnicutt, Hugh Windle and Jake Ballard combined for five strikeouts, three walks, six hits allowed and one run in the win.
Jake Goolsby finished with two hits, including a three-bagger to go with two hits, including a double from Jake Ballard.