By Johnny Sanders, Sports Editor
SPRINGVILLE – The Springville Tigers are staking their claim as one of the best baseball teams in 5A with a 19-7 record thus far in the 2024 season and that trajectory continued this week, after dropping two of four in Gulf Shores over spring break.
Springville faced cross-town rivals Saint Clair County Saints in a trio of games on Tuesday and Thursday this week, winning all games by large margins.
Tuesday’s game was a home game for the Tigers against the Saints, ending in a 10-0 win for Springville. The Tigers jumped out early, scoring four in the first inning, one in the second and finishing things off with five runs in the bottom of the fourth to seal the deal. Carter Samuelson got a complete-game no-hitter, going all five innings and striking out eight batters in the outing. Grant Martinez was a perfect two for two at the plate driving in two runs. Tanner Oakes had two RBI as well.
Thursday meant a trip over to Saint Clair for the Tigers for a doubleheader and they continued their dominance over the Saints in each game.
In the first game, the Saints managed to keep it close for an inning as the first ended in a 1-1 tie. Springville’s bats would come alive in the second, putting six runs on the board and taking a 7-1 lead. The third would be scoreless and then Springville would put up a run in the fourth and four in the fifth to end the game at 12-1, Tigers. Alex Holland went the distance, allowing two hits and a single run in five innings to go with seven strikeouts. Martinez had another great night hitting, going three of four with three RBI to go with a three of four performance by Kade Willis, who added two RBI.
Game two would be much the same as the previous one as the Tigers would score four in the first, six in the second and two in the third to jump out to a 12-0 lead. The teams would go scoreless in the fourth before each team scored two in the fifth, making it 14-2 and that would be the final. Kade Willis got the win, going two innings and allowing two hits and no runs while striking out two batters. Tanner Oakes came in for the final three innings, picking up a save and allowing two hits, two runs and striking out eight. Oakes did it from the plate as well, going two of three and driving in three runs. Jake Conner added two RBI on one of one hitting. Matthew Murray and Carter Samuelson added two RBI each as well.
The Tigers sit at 19-7 as they prepare for a doubleheader at Pell City on Saturday.