PREP RECAP: Macon East advances to second round of AISA baseball playoffs; Catholic softball tops PCA

Bryant Grimes led Macon East to the first of two wins over Trinity Christian in the first round of the AISA state baseball tournament. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

CECIL -- It all starts on the mound, Macon East Academy coach Christian Coston notes, and he has a pair of pitchers that has helped the Knights field a championship-caliber team over the past three years.

Second-year program Trinity Christian was no match for Bryant Grimes and Jackson Todd in the first round of the Alabama Independent School Association Class A state baseball playoffs on Tuesday, falling 12-0 and 14-2 at Macon East.

“Jackson and Bryant are pretty much the core of our team on the mound,” Coston said. “They always give us a good effort but especially tonight. They were efficient, they filled it up in the zone and we played pretty clean defense behind them. When we played clean defense behind them, it’s always easy for them to look really good. 

“But they’re probably the two best pitchers in the state, in my opinion, and I’m glad they’re on my team.”

Grimes pitched a one hitter in the opener, a three-inning game that was halted by the 12-run mercy rule. Todd followed by carrying a no hitter into the fourth inning of the second game before Trinity put together a trio of hits to extend the game until the fifth inning.

Together, the pair faced 29 batters, striking out 14 and walking none, maintaining their effectiveness and poise even as both games turned lopsided.

“That’s the biggest message I’ve had since I’ve gotten here,” Coston said. “We want to play to a standard regardless of the score, so I was glad tonight that we came out and was able to play with pretty good intensity even though we won lopsided. You’ve just got to find a way to be mentally tough and no matter what the score is, you’ve got to find ways to play good baseball.”

In the first game, the Knights’ top two hitters in the lineup, Conner Wallace and Todd, combined to go 6 for 6 with six runs scored and four RBIs. Patrick Ernest and Parker Ruskin each added two-run doubles as the Knights scored three runs in the first inning, three in the second and six in the third.

In the second game, Macon East took advantage of 10 walks by Trinity pitchers to score four runs in the second inning for a 5-0 lead and eight more in the fourth for a 13-0 lead. Wallace drew four walks in the game, Ruskin had a bases-loaded walk and a two-run double and Grimes and Cole Streetman each went 2 for 2, with Streetman driving in three runs. Trent Shuford went 2 for 4 and drove in three runs.

Trinity Christian extended the second game with two runs in the bottom of the fourth as Barrett Reeves had a pinch-hit single to break up Todd’s no hitter, Anderson England followed with a two-out infield single and Roy Washburn hit a grounder that took a bad hop over shortstop Conner Wallace’s glove and rolled all the way to the wall for a triple.

Macon East (24-15) advances to the Class A quarterfinals with a best-of-three series next Tuesday at South Choctaw Academy.

“We’ve got to go to a South Choctaw team that’s playing very good baseball,” Coston said. “I think our guys will be ready, but we’ve got to be a lot better before we go down there.”

SOFTBALL

Catholic 10, Prattville Christian 6

Haley Ishman and Peyton Dees homered to lead the Knights to a crucial 10-6 area win over Prattville Christian on Tuesday at Catholic.

Ishman went 2 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs, while Dees went 1 for 4 with a three run home run.

Rylee Wilcoxson went 3 for 4 and Hannah Smith went 2 for 3 with an RBI to lead the Catholic offense.

Megan Masters went 3 for 4 with an RBI to lead the Panthers. Colbie Martin went 2 for 4 with an RBI and Kandice Crosby added a solo home run.

Gabby Eady picked up the win, allowing 10 hits and six runs, two earned, in six innings of work. Destini Hartman pitched the seventh to earn the save.

St. James 6, Brew Tech 5

St. James scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game, then two more in the bottom of the seventh to defeat Brewbaker Tech 6-5 on Tuesday.

Lily Stanford went 2 for 3 and drove in three runs to lead the Trojans at the plate. Kaitlyn Hudson went 2 for 4 and Emily Darby went 2 for 3 to record multiple hits for the Trojans.

Emily Needham pitched a complete game, allowing five hits and five runs, none earned, while striking out 11 and walking three.

Heleyna Pennic went 1 for 3 and drove in a run and Kaymarria Bandy went 1 for 2 and drove in a run as the Rams rallied from a 2-0 deficit with three runs in the fourth and another in the fifth to take a 4-2 lead. After St. James tied the game in the bottom of the sixth, Brew Tech scored another run to take a 5-4 lead into the bottom of the seventh.

Kelsey Williams pitched 6.2 innings, allowing 12 hits and six runs, all earned.

Clay-Chalkville 7, Montgomery Academy 4

Clay-Chalkville rallied from a 2-1 deficit with five runs in the sixth to defeat Montgomery Academy 7-4 at Montgomery Academy on Tuesday.

The Eagles took a 2-0 lead in the third on a two-run double by Davis Ann Fitzpatrick. An error in the sixth allowed Clay-Chalkville to regain the lead with the help of a Jerica Tyree RBI single.

Fitzpatrick took the loss for the Eagles, allowing eight hits and seven runs, two earned, in 6.2 innings of work.

Elinor Grace Hines led the MA offense, going 3 for 4 with a pair of RBIs.

BOYS SOCCER

Montgomery Academy 4, Dothan 3

Montgomery Academy outlasted Dothan in a penalty kick shootout on Monday to clinch the area championship.

The Eagles struck first with Hayes Lachney finishing off an assist from Hampton Welch. Lachney added his second goal of the night later in the match, this time assisted by Rob Ashworth. Jacob Stubblefield also found the net on a penalty kick to give the Eagles three goals in regulation.

Dothan battled back, however, and the teams were deadlocked at 3-3 at the end of regulation. Two intense five-minute overtime periods failed to break the tie, sending the match into penalty kicks.

In the shootout, Hampton Welch, Drew Phenix, Damion Womack, and Jacob Stubblefield all converted their attempts in the opening round. With the score still tied, Reeves Hall delivered the finishing moment, burying the game-winning penalty to clinch the victory for Montgomery Academy.

Goalkeeper Grady Ming recorded 19 total saves, including two crucial stops during penalty kicks to help seal the win.

Lee-Scott Academy  8, Prattville Christian  0

PRATTVILLE -- The Panthers were shut out at home by Lee-Scott Academy on Tuesday.

PCA ends the season with a record of 2-14 and 0-6 in area play.

GIRLS SOCCER

Stanhope Elmore 3, Montgomery Academy 2

Kirsten Thomas scored on a penalty kick and assisted on a goal to lead Montgomery Academy in a 3-2 loss to Stanhope Elmore on Monday.

Ella Pemberton scored her team leading 16th goal on a Thomas assist.

Montgomery Academy (3-8) will play St. James on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

Lee-Scott Academy  10, Prattville Christian  0

PRATTVILLE -- The Panthers were shut out at home on Tuesday by Lee-Scott Academy.

Prattville Christian ends the season with a record of 3-11-3 and 3-5 in area play.