By Bobby Mathews, Sports Editor
IRONDALE — Shades Valley disposed of Huffman easily in both games of a Tuesday, April 12 doubleheader. The Mounties picked up a 15-0 win in the first game and then dropped the Vikings 11-1 in the second round.
This is the fourth blowout win in a row for Shades Valley, and the wins on Tuesday secured a regular-season 6A Area 11 championship for the team, meaning that the Mounties will host at least one game in the 6A playoffs next week.
Here’s how it happened:
Game 1: Shades Valley 15, Huffman 0
Avery Prichard showed out on the mound and in the batter’s box during the Mounties’ first game against Huffman, allowing no runs and going 2-for-4 at the plate, homering in the second inning and driving in five runs overall.
That second inning was deadly to any hopes that Huffman may have had as Shades Valley put up 12 runs and cruised from there. Prichard allowed one hit and one walk, striking out nine; he threw 68 pitches total, with 48 of them going for strikes.
Jacob Mahand wint 1-for-3 with 2 RBI, while Xavion Web also went 1-for-3 with a pair of RBI.
Game 2: Shades Valley 11, Huffman 1
Jacob Mahand got the win for the Mounties, throwing one inning, with one run allowed, four walks and three strikeouts. Jamiel Saliba came on in relief, throwing three innings, giving up no hits, walking two, and striking out eight.
Mahand helped his own cause by driving in one run on a ground-out as the Mounties put up four runs in the bottom of the first inning. They added three in the second and then another four in the third.
Saliba added an RBI and Xavion Webb plated a pair of runs. Kai Finch also had an RBI for Shades Valley.