Playoff Roundup: See Thursday’s highlights, scores
Class 4A Area 1 rivals Bayside Academy and UMS-Wright will meet again next week, this time with a spot in the state championship series at stake.
The third-ranked Admirals (24-9) pounded visiting American Christian in a 10-0, 17-6 doubleheader sweep on Thursday, while UMS won two tight road games at Trinity.
Bayside won Game 1 against ACA behind the pitching of Wake Forest signee Josh Gunther. He allowed just two hits in five innings and struck out 10. He also drove in two runs as did both Cade Morris and Jake DeValk. Tait Moore was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Coltyn Mitchell took the loss, giving up all 10 runs on eight hits.
In Game 2, the Admirals pounded out 16 hits. They scored in every inning but the fifth, including a seven-spot in the third and a four-spot in the seventh. Jack Woods was 2-for-4 with a homer and five RBIs. Gunther was 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Gatlin Pitts, Teague Broadhead and Moore all had two hits. Starting pitcher Jake DeValk, the first of three Bayside pitchers, got the win. Sammy Dunn pitched an inning and Carson Joyner pitched the final two.
Eric Hines had three hits for ACA.
UMS-Wright 4-4, Trinity 1-2
Sutton Snypes and Alex Sherman shut down Trinity from the mound and UMS-Wright scored deciding runs in each of its last at-bats Thursday in a doubleheader road sweep.
The sixth-ranked Bulldogs (24-11) will play either American Christian or area rival Bayside Academy in the state semifinals next week. Trinity finished 22-14. The Wildcats won the Class 3A state title a year ago.
UMS scored three runs in the top of the seventh of Game 1 to break a 1-1 tie, then scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to break a 2-2 tie.
In the opener, Snypes pitched six innings of three-hit ball and allowed one unearned run. He struck out two and walked three. Olin Ward pitched the seventh and struck out two.
Ward, Cole Blaylock, Will Taylor and John Ramsay each had a hit and an RBI for the Bulldogs. Ramsay’s RBI single drove in Taylor to give UMS the lead for good.
Ross Sanders had two hits for Trinity. Walker McClinton gave up four runs on six hits in 6.2 innings to take the loss.
In the second game, Taylor’s single in the sixth scored Logan Norris to give UMS the lead for good. Ward walked with the bases loaded to score the final run.
Sherman pitched 6.1 innings, allowing two runs on just three hits. He walked four and struck out six. Ward got the final two outs for the save. Wesley Stallings took the loss for Trinity, giving up four runs on seven hits. He struck out three and walked three.
CLASS 2A
Ariton 14, Pike Liberal Arts 4
Connor Thrash homered and drove in six as Ariton advanced to the state semifinals with a Game 3 win against Pike Liberal Arts.
Thrash was 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Caden Collier and Paxton Steed drove in two runs apiece for the Purple Cats (24-12).
Ariton broke the game open with seven runs in the second and finished with 12 hits. Lawson Leger was credited with the win.
AHSAA PLAYOFF SCHEDULE, RESULTS
CLASS 7A
Smiths Station (23-14-1) at Baker (24-14), 4 p.m. Friday (1 p.m. Saturday)
Central-Phenix City (29-8) at Enterprise (22-12), 4:30 p.m. Friday (noon Saturday)
Spain Park (28-7) at Vestavia Hills (28-9), 4:30 p.m. Friday (1 p.m. Saturday)
Thompson (34-5) at Bob Jones (35-10), 5 p.m. Friday (1 p.m. Saturday)
CLASS 6A
Gardendale 6-0, Cullman 2-3 (6 p.m. Friday)
Oxford 4-5, Hartselle 1-3, Oxford (35-6) advances
Saraland 3-7, Spanish Fort 1-8 (5 p.m. Friday)
Stanhope Elmore 4-7, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa 3-2, Stanhope Elmore (29-5) advances
CLASS 5A
Headland (25-7) at Holtville (22-12), 5 p.m. Friday (1 p.m. Saturday)
Demopolis (16-10) at St. Paul’s (24-8), 4 p.m. Friday (noon Saturday)
Arab (31-7) at Boaz (21-12), 5 p.m. Friday (1 p.m. Saturday)
Russellville (22-13) at Sardis (26-6), 5 p.m. Friday (1 p.m. Saturday)
CLASS 4A
Bayside Academy 10-17, American Christian 0-6, Bayside Academy (24-9) advances
Etowah 13-8, West Limestone 2-2, Etowah (25-11) advances
Priceville 6-2, St. John Paul 2-7 (4:30 p.m. Friday)
UMS-Wright 4-4, Trinity 1-2, UMS-Wright (25-11) advances
CLASS 3A
Phil Campbell 17-0, Lauderdale Co. 5-2, second game 8 innings (5 p.m. Friday)
Piedmont 7-0, Gordo 6-1 (2 p.m. Friday)
Friday
St. James (19-12) at Providence Chr. (21-8), 5 p.m. Friday (noon Saturday)
Prattville Chr. (25-6) at Houston Aca. (21-6), 4:30 p.m. Friday (noon Saturday)
CLASS 2A
Wednesday
Ariton 7-4, Pike Liberal Arts 6-14, first game 8 innings
G.W. Long 11-5, St. Luke’s 5-4, G.W. Long (28-8) advances
Lindsay Lane 4-15, Donoho 0-4, Lindsay Lane (28-9) advances
Vincent 2-11, Whitesburg Chr. 1-1, Vincent (28-4) advances
Thursday
Ariton 14, Pike Liberal Arts 4, Ariton (24-12) advances
CLASS 1A
Wednesday
Billingsley 5-4, Leroy 1-8
Thursday
Billingsley 6, Leroy 3, Billingsley (20-4) advances
Brantley 14-5, Sweet Water 2-3, Brantley (17-7) advances
Hackleburg 13-10, Coosa Chr. 0-2, Hackleburg (25-9) advances
Sumiton Chr. 8-6, Appalachian 5-14 (4 p.m. Friday)
This post will be updated