From The Tribune staff reports
IRONDALE — Shades Valley improved to 17-10 and ran its winning streak to six games as they defeated Westminster School – Oak Mountain here 8-0 on Tuesday, April 19.
The Mounties’s Matt Wyatt got the win on the mound, pitching four innings, and then Stephen Manley came on in relief to preserve the shutout.
Shades Valley plated two in the third inning, starting when Jacob Mahand singled in Avery Prichard, who had doubled. From there, Mahand stole second and then scored on a throwing error by the visitors when Jamiel Saliba singled. After that, the Mounties were off to the races.
Camden Myers reached on an error to start the fourth inning, with Izzy Davis coming in to run for him. Chris Bishop bunted Davis over and reached on a throwing error. Westminster had nine errors on the day. Bishop reached second on a sacrifice from Joshua Sales which also scored Davis, and then went to third on the next play, an error by the Westminster second baseman.
Prichard then walked and stole second, and Mahand singled to right field to score Bishop and make it 4-0, Shades Valley. Xavion Webb reached on an error, scoring Prichard, while Mahand made it to third. Mahand scored on an error, while Webb went to second on the same error.
That made it 6-0 Mounties. Wyatt ended up hit by a pitch, and then Kau Finch reached on an error to score Webb and Wyatt, making it 8-0.
Prichard was 1-for-2 with a walk and scored twice, while Mahand was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI, a walk, and scored twice. Webb was 1-for-4 with an RBI and scored.
The Mounties host Friday, April 22 against traditional 6A power Cullman, playing the first in a best-of-three playoff series. First pitch is at 4:30 p.m., with the second game following at 7:30 p.m. Saturday’s game — if necessary — will be at 1 p.m.