Saraland coach Brett Boutwell and Spanish Fort coach JD Pruitt have similar messages for their baseball teams this week.

It boils down to this: Enjoy the moment.

“Sometimes you have to look at it and just enjoy the blessing,” Boutwell said. “I don’t want our guys to take anything for granted. I want the kids to enjoy it but obviously also want them to be ready to play.”

The third-ranked Spartans (26-8) will play the sixth-ranked Toros (25-14) in Spanish Fort in the best-of-three Class 6A quarterfinals beginning with a Thursday doubleheader.

RELATED: Statewide playoff pairings

It marks the first time Saraland has reached the state quarterfinals after several near misses in Boutwell’s nine years as coach. Spanish Fort hasn’t made this deep of a playoff run since 2018.

“The message for our guys all postseason has been just ‘Be Us,’” Pruitt said. “We always want to lean back on our fall and the values and mentality we instilled during that time and just the competitive nature of the environment we always try to create.

“The kids have responded well. The message is ‘go compete, play for each other, be great teammates, play with passion and enjoy the journey.’ It will be the last time for this collection of guys to play together, and we want them to enjoy it.”

Both coaches expect a unique atmosphere On the Hill for the series. Thursday’s doubleheader is set for 5 p.m. A third game, if necessary, would be at 5 p.m. Friday.

“I really think it will be something people haven’t seen lately in this area,” Pruitt said of the possible environment for the games. “We’ve known since the brackets came out, this could be a possibility. You’ve got to prepare your guys for it. They’ve got to block out the noise and play baseball. This is exactly why you run and train in the fall – to put yourselves in these opportunities against quality opponents. I tell our guys, ‘You’ve earned this. Now, let’s seize the moment.’”

Both teams have been hot lately. Saraland has won 20 of its last 23 games and is coming off playoff series sweeps against Brookwood at home and Helena on the road.

“I really like how our kids are playing,” Boutwell said. “In the playoffs, you have to go on the road and win a big series if you are going to make a run. The past couple of years we’ve had that opportunity and had to play a Game 3, and it just didn’t turn out in our favor. This year, the kids got it done and now we are in the Elite 8.”

Bryson Goff and Evan Hilliard have given the Spartans strong performances on the mound. Goff is 7-1 wit a 2.32 ERA and 86 strikeouts. Hilliard is 8-2 with a 1.40 ERA and 52 strikeouts. The leading hitters are Brooks Womble (.406, 31 stolen bases, 38 runs scored), Camron Laffitte (.407) and Santae McWilliams (.365, 25 stolen bases, 35 runs scored).

“We will have to continue to pitch well,” Boutwell said. “Our starters have got to keep giving us a chance and limit the big inning. At the plate, our guys need to have the same approach they’ve had for the last month. We just have to go play the game and not worry about anything outside, just worry about what happens between the lines.”

Spanish Fort has won 13 of its last 14 games. The Toros defeated McAdory in three games at home in the first round and swept Northridge on the road last week. The Toros have overcome key injuries to Pierce Dutton, Ethan Kick and Jack Holley along the way. All three have returned to the lineup, though Kick – the team’s No. 1 starting pitcher – is unable to take the mound.

“We knew we were going to have a very young, very inexperienced team this year,” Pruitt said. “We graduated 17 seniors last year and really only had two guys returning with extensive varsity experience. We’ve got a really good group of sophomores.

“We challenged the kids early with a really tough schedule. We lost a lot of close games, and I knew during that stretch we were going to be pretty good if we could just hang on and keep getting better. Our guys stayed the course and remained competitive and have shown a lot of resiliency.”

With Kick out of the pitching rotation, junior John Henry Winstead (5-5, 3.44 ERA) and senior Chris Sullivan (7-3, 3.21 ERA) have stepped up. The offense has been led by Dutton (.457, 34 RBIs), Lakelon Ray (.352, 31 RBIs) and Nemo Hixon (.321, 21 stolen bases). Pruitt said DJ Eurgil, who has filled in at catcher and pitcher, has been one of the team’s unsung heroes.

The Saraland-Spanish Fort winner will face Stanhope Elmore or Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa in the state semifinals next week.

CLASS 6A QUARTERFINAL PAIRINGS

(With overall record and final ASWA regular-season ranking)

No. 5 Stanhope Elmore (27-5) at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (21-15),Thur., 4:30 & 7 p.m. (Fri., 5 p.m., if needed)

No. 3 Saraland (26-8) at No. 6 Spanish Fort (25-14),Thur., 5 & 7:30 p.m. (Fri., 5 p.m., if needed)

Gardendale (24-11) at Cullman (21-19), Thur., 4:30 & 7 p.m. (Fri., 6 p.m., if needed)

No. 1 Oxford (33-6) at No. 2 Hartselle (28-7), Thur., 5 & 7 p.m. (Fri., 5 p.m., if needed)