THURSDAY PREPS: Tallassee splits with Bibb County in 4A first round; St. James softball slips past PCA

COMBINED REPORTS

BASEBALL

Tallassee 4-0, Bibb County 2-2

CENTREVILLE -- Jack Butler pitched a five hitter in the opening game of the Tigers’ best-of-three playoff series at Bibb County, but the Choctaws rallied for a 2-0 victory in the second game of a Thursday doubleheader.

Tallassee (17-12) and Bibb County (19-11) will play a third game to decide the 4A playoff series on Friday.

Hamp Love singled in a pair of runs in the first inning and Butler singled in two runs to give the Tigers a 4-1 lead.

Butler picked up the win, pitching five innings while allowing five hits, one run, two walks and two strikeouts.

Love pitched the final two innings, striking out three and walking one while allowing just one hit, a solo home run by Cortez Morrow in the sixth.

In the second game, the Choctaws scored the game’s only runs in the top of the third inning as Grant Burkes grounded into a fielder’s choice, scoring one run, and Dylan Kornegay followed with an RBI single down the left field line.

Ethan McMillan picked up the win, allowing just three hits over seven innings while striking out eight and walking four.

Love took the loss for the Tigers.

SOFTBALL

St. James 2, Prattville Christian 0

Emily Needham pitched a one hitter in the circle and drove in one of the game’s two runs to lead the Trojans to a 2-0 victory over Prattville Christian at St. James on Thursday.

The Trojans managed just five hits but Needham had two of them, going 2 for 2. Mia Zukowski followed with an RBI single as St. James managed runs in the fourth and sixth innings.

Needham pitched a complete game, striking out 11 and allowing just one hit and four walks.

Her performance overshadowed that of PCA starter Holleybeth Rollan, who allowed just five hits and two runs while walking three and striking out four in six innings of work.

Peyton Thrash had the Panthers’ only hit. Addison Byrd reached base twice on walks.