FRIDAY PREPS: PCA baseball takes first game of key series against St. James; Tallassee wins area

COMBINED REPORTS

BASEBALL

Prattville Christian 5, St. James 2

Prattville Christian scored single runs in five different innings and Parker Blake pitched a complete game to take control of 3A Area 6 as the Panthers defeated the Trojans 5-2 at St. James on Friday.

Despite the loss, the Trojans clinched a berth in the upcoming 3A state playoffs next weekend after Alabama Christian swept a doubleheader from Montgomery Academy on Friday.

Prattville Christian (4-1 in area play) and St. James (3-2) will play for the area championship -- and a home berth in the first round of the state playoffs against either Flomaton or W.S. Neal -- in a Saturday doubleheader.

If PCA wins the first game, the Panthers will be area champs. If St. James wins the first game, the winner of the second game will be the area champion.   

The Panthers could have had a huge first inning after Luke Larson led off with a single and Blake walked, with both runners advancing on a wild pitch. Larson would score on a groundout but the Trojans threw out Blake at the plate to prevent further damage.

Saint James scored its only two runs after two outs in the bottom of the first on a Tabor Offord single.  Offord scored all the way from first on a single by Charlie Cutler and Cutler later scored on an errant throw trying to pick him off. That would be all the offense for the Trojans.

The Panthers added single runs in the third, fifth, sixth and seventh innings to clinch the victory and put them in command of the area race.

Alabama Christian 7-14, Montgomery Academy 4-9

Alabama Christian completed its series sweep of Montgomery Academy by winning a Friday doubleheader 7-4 and 14-9 at the AUM Dixie Baseball Field on Friday.

The sweep knocked Montgomery Academy out of playoff contention in the 3A Area 6 race. Prattville Christian leads the race at 4-1, followed by St. James at 3-2, Alabama Christian at 2-4 and Montgomery Academy at 2-4.  

In the first game, Landon Nelson picked up the win with a complete-game performance, allowing just one earned run while striking out six in a 7-4 victory.

At the plate, Nelson went 3 for 4 with two RBIs, Mac Moorer went 2 for 3 with three RBIs, Grant Cornette went 2 for 3 with a double, Jackson Burton went 1 for 3 and drove in a run, Teilan Long went 1 for 3 and drove in a run, Cam Sutton went 1 for 3 and Bryson Dabney went 1 for 3.

In the second game, Mac Moorer picked up the win by allowing just one earned run over 4.2 innings while striking out two in a 14-9 win.

Nelson went 1 for 2 with two RBIs, Cornette went 1 for 3 with an RBI, Burton drove in three runs, Long went 2 for 3 with three RBIs and Zander Costanza went 1 for 3 with an RBI.

Tallassee 1-8, Elmore County 5-6

ECLECTIC - The Tigers (14-7) won the Class 5A, Area 4 title with a victory in the second game of a twinbill on Friday.

Tallassee earned the first-round home series of the playoffs and will face Marbury next week at Southside Middle School. Elmore County will travel to Holtville for the first round Best-of-3 series.

SOFTBALL

Prattville Christian 2, Southside-Gadsden 1

ALBERTVILLE -- Alivia Messick was spectacular in the Sardis Tournament opener for the Panthers, allowing just two hits in six innings while striking out eight to help PCA to a 2-1 win over Southside-Gadsden on Friday.

Payson Hanson and Kandice Crosby both had RBI singles to give PCA the victory.

Prattville Christian 2, Springville 0

ALBERTVILLE -- Laura Beth NeSmith threw a complete game, scattering seven hits and striking out 11 as the Panthers defeated Springville 2-0 on Friday.

Paysley Bayer had two hits, including a two-run triple that provided the winning runs for the Panthers. PCA (15-3) will face the Boaz-Arab winner on Saturday at 11:45 a.m.

GIRLS SOCCER

St. James 4, Pike Road 0

Katie Brightwell recorded all four goals for the Trojans as St. James bounced back from its first loss of the season in a 4-0 win over the Patriots at Carlisle Field.

Sana Shuford, Hailey Vance, Mary Grace Hixon and Hope McCain each contributed an assist.  

Katie Irving and the Trojans’ defense recorded their seventh shutout in 12 games.  

St. James (10-1-1) returns to action on Tuesday at home against Alabama Christian on Senior Night.

Tuscaloosa Academy 3, Prattville Christian 0

TUSCALOOSA -- The Knights shut out PCA for the second time this season, handing the Panthers their second area loss of the season on Friday.

PCA (2-9) dropped to 1-2 in area play and will play at Julian on Monday.

Catholic 10, Booker T. Washington 0

TUSKEGEE -- Joanna Marlow scored six goals and assisted on another as the Knights rolled past Booker T. Washington 10-0 in an area game on Thursday.

In addition to Marlow, Annsley Crimi scored a goal on a deflection off a BTW defender on a corner kick, Jehle Dickson scored on a penalty kick, Jessica Wright had a goal and an assist and Michael Ann Williams had a goal and an assist.

In addition, Eryn Owens, Claire Aaron, Anna Russo and Carsyn Hawkins each had an assist.

Goalkeeper Heather Walski picked up her 13th shutout in quiet fashion as there were no shots on goal. Walski took the field in the second half and assisted on one of Marlow’s goals.

Catholic (13-2-1) improved to 8-0 in area play and will settle the area championship on Tuesday at Trinity. Before then, the Knights will play host to Wetumpka on Saturday at 9:30 a.m.

BOYS SOCCER

Tuscaloosa Academy 4, Prattville Christian 0

TUSCALOOSA -- The Knights shut out the Panthers on Friday, handing PCA its second area loss of the season.

PCA (2-9) dropped to 1-2 in area play and will play at Julian on Monday.