By Johnny Sanders, Sports Editor
SPRINGVILLE – The Tigers struggled over spring break, dropping 4 games in a row, which is very uncharacteristic of this team. However, they recovered when it counted most, beating area rival Saint Clair County in 3 consecutive games on Tuesday and Wednesday. “At 3-1 in area play, we control our destiny for the opportunity to host the first round,” said Springville coach Jonathan Ford.
The Tigers opened the week on Tuesday evening against the Saints. Both teams started slow as neither one put anything on the board until the third inning where Springville scored 1. The fourth would be scoreless and then it got interesting. The Saints outscored Springville 2-1 in the inning, knotting the game at 2 each. Saint Clair, looking for the comeback win, got 2 runs across the plate in the sixth, scoring 2 runs and taking a 4-2 lead into the seventh inning as Springville was unable to score in the inning. In the seventh, Springville would put up 4 runs to make it 6-4 and Saint Clair would be scoreless, sealing the win for the Tigers. Brady Gillespie got the win, pitching 6 innings and allowing 4 runs on 7 hits and 4 strikeouts. Zach Brown came in to finish things off in the seventh, allowing no runs or hits. Brown also led from the plate, driving in 2 RBI on 2 hits and getting across the plate himself. Grant Martinez also looked good from the plate, scoring all 3 times he came to the plate.
“A really huge win tonight! Anytime you are able to come back in the last inning, it is special,” said Coach Ford. “But when it is in area play, that makes it even more so. I was super proud of these guys tonight for finding a way to get this win.”
Due to potential weather, Thursday night doubleheader against Saint Clair County was moved to Wednesday evening. The opponent would be the same and so would the results, as Springville took both games against the Saints.
The first game was a close one as both teams went scoreless in the first 4 innings. In the fifth, Saint Clair got first blood with a run in the top of the inning; however, the Tigers would be able to answer in the bottom to tie it up heading into the sixth. Springville would be able to hold the Saints to no runs in the top of the inning and the bats started coming alive with the Tigers putting up 2 in the sixth. Saint Clair could not answer and the game ended 3-1 Tigers. Kade Wills got the win for the Tigers, allowing just 1 run on 6 hits and 3 strikeouts.
The second game was not so close as Springville’s bats continued to heat up and the pitching remained brilliant in the 8-0 win over the Saints. After a scoreless first, Springville put a run on the board in the second. Then, they began pouring it on by scoring 3 each in the third and fourth innings and adding another in the fifth to blank the Saints 8-0. Carter Samuelson got the win, going 6 innings and allowing no runs on 4 hits and striking out 7. Alex
Holland came in to finish things off in the seventh, allowing no runs or hits and striking out all 3 batters. It was a group effort from the plate as 7 different players scored in the game and 4 had RBI.
“So proud of the way the guys are finding ways to win,” said Coach Ford. “We were not ablet to find big hits in this game when we needed, but we were able to capitalize on some mistakes. Sophomore Kade Willis kept them off balance scattering 6 hits in game 1. In game 2, sophomore Carter Samuelson got stronger as the game went on.”
Springville improves to 14-12 and will welcome Boaz on Saturday.