Spring roundup: Hoover softball goes to 5-1 on the year
Bella Foran slapped a three-run home run in the top of the eighth inning to give Hoover a come-from-behind 7-4 win at Hewitt-Trussville on Thursday.
Hoover (5-1) had tied the game at 4-all in the top of the seventh inning when Hannah Christian tripled in a run.
Olivia Christian picked up the win for the Bucs, allowing seven hits and two runs over six innings. She struck out four and walked one. Kaitlyn Raines pitched two innings in relief.
Kate Hicks took the loss for the Huskies, allowing seven runs on nine hits with five strikeouts.
At Hoover on Monday, Hoover swept a double-header over Brooks, 5-4 and 9-8. Ki Davis drove in two runs to give Hoover a bottom of the 10th inning walk-off win. Davis smacked the single on the first pitch of the at-bat to get the RBIs.
Hoover collected 15 hits while Brooks had 11.
Raines picked up the win in relief of Emily Sims for Hoover, pitching 6.2 innings, allowing four runs on four hits. Raines struck out 12 and did not walk a batter.
Abby Herndon went 9.1 innings for Brooks, allowing seven runs on 15 hits with five strikeouts.
Brooks scored two in the first, two more in the fourth and seventh with one run in the eighth and one in the 10th. Hoover scored three in the second inning, two in the third, single runs in the seventh and eighth and two in the 10th.
Carolyn Hecklinski went 3-for-5 for Hoover with Davis, Olivia Christian, Sims and Hannah Christian picking up multiple hits. Kate Dinkel homered for the Bucs.
Preslie Bunch had a double for Brooks and had multiple hits in the game, along with Brayleigh Leone, Faith Roberson and Baylee Darby.
In the opener, the Bucs led 5-1 before a three-run homer in the fourth inning brought Brooks within a run.
In the first inning, the Bucs scored on a fielder’s choice by Foran, a groundout by Sims and a groundout by Raines. Hoover added two runs in the second on a Hannah Christian single and a Brooks error.
Olivia Christian earned the win for Hoover, pitching seven innings, allowing four runs on six hits. She struck out five Brooks hitters.
Davis, Carolyne Hecklinski, Dinkel, Raines, Olivia Christian and Hannah Christian all had hits for Hoover.
Herndon took the loss for Brooks, pitching six innings, allowing five runs on six hits. She struck out three and did not walk a batter.
Leone went 2-for-3 for the Lions.
In other high-school spring sports action from across the state this week:
GIRLS
SOFTBALL
Alma Bryant 13, Ocean Springs (Miss.) 1: The Hurricanes rolled over Ocean Springs in the Gulfport Classic with Karen Wisher delivering three hits and three RBIs and Madelyn Ladnier smacking three hits.
Gaile Wisher earned the win, giving up one run on five hits. She also had seven strikeouts with one walk.
In other games, Bryant beat Poplarville 7-1 with Allie Ladnier picking up the win. The right-hander lasted 3.2 innings, allowing one run on two hits. She struck out seven and walked none.
Emma Hudson had two hits and three RBIs and Madelyn Ladnier had two hits to lead Bryant at the plate.
Alma Bryant scored five runs in the last inning to come back to tie East Central (Miss.) 6-6 before the time limit expired. Karen Wisher had two doubles and Madelyn Ladnier had a three-run homer to lead the Canes.
SOCCER
Montgomery Academy 5, Prattville 0: Madison Yi scored two goals while Kerstin Daniel and Hayes Jenkins had two assists each in the Eagles’ home win on Tuesday.
Montgomery Academy also got goals from Jenkins, Mary Elizabeth Cole and Valentina Rubio. Yi also added an assist in the win.
Foley 5, Carrollton (Ga.) 1: The Lions improved to 6-0-1 on the year with the rout at home on Monday.
Anna Beth Korhonen scored twice for Foley. Sophomore Emma Korhonen and freshmen Emely Pindea and Claire Ressinger also scored.
Hoover 3, Northridge 0: The Bucs blanked Northridge on Wednesday with a goal in the first half and a pair in the second.
Reagan George, Julie Cooke and Brooke Nettles got the goals for Hoover.
Lanke Morton picked up the shutout in goal.
TENNIS
Hoover 9, Tuscaloosa County 0: The Bucs swept Tuscaloosa County on Tuesday in a match at Sipsey Valley High School in Buhl. The win made Hoover 2-0 in section play.
BOYS
BASEBALL
Hoover 4, Cypress (Calif.) 3: The Bucs scored a pair of runs in the first and in the fourth and held off Cypress’ fifth-inning rally to earn the win at home on Thursday.
Mason Blasche had an RBI single on a 3-2 count for Hoover and Cade Carr went 2-for-2 at the plate for the Bucs.
Tyler Wilson was the winning pitcher, allowing one run on one hit with seven strikeouts in four innings. Blasche pitched three innings in relief.
On Wednesday, EVIT-Hamilton from Chandler, Ariz., beat Hoover 7-6. The Bucs scored three runs in the seventh, but the rally fell short.
Hamilton and Hoover traded runs in the first inning, the visitors went up 3-1 with runs in the second. Hamilton scored one in the fourth and fifth innings and a pair in the sixth. Hoover responded with two runs in the fourth and three in the bottom of the seventh.
The Bucs’ runs in the final inning came on singles by Carr and Colin Rengering.
Makale Holden took the loss for Hoover, pitching one inning and allowing two hits and three runs. He struck out two.
Will Lawrence had a home run in the loss, one of 12 hits the Bucs managed on the day. Blasche, Rengering and Carr had multiple hits.
J.U. Blacksher 5, Cottage Hill 1: Senior Josh Burkett pitched a no-hitter as the Bulldogs improved to 2-0 with the win on Monday at home in Uriah.
The left-hander struck out 15 Warriors batters and walked five. Cottage Hill’s run was unearned.
SOCCER
Montgomery Academy 4, Prattville 1: The Eagles whipped Prattville in a home match on Tuesday.
Lucas Rizzo scored twice – on assists by Braxton Welch and Ethan Yi – and Brewer Welch had an unassisted goal for the Eagles. Bobby Eskridge scored on an assist by Rizzo.
Hoover 3, Pelham 2: The Bucs led 3-0 and held off the home team to pick up the win on Thursday.
Justin McDowell scored on a penalty kick midway through the first half and Graham Houlditch picked up the second goal off a cross from Matthew Kincaid. Houlditch assisted Sam Whitlock on Hoover’s final goal midway through the second half.
Pelham scored two second-half goals for the final margin.
On Tuesday, the Bucs earned a 2-1 win on the road at Helena, scoring two second-half goals. After falling behind 1-0 in the first half on a penalty kick, Hoover got even on a corner kick by Caelin Dowdey, assisted by Patrick Anderson.
The game-winner came from Dowdey off a free kick by Anderson.
TENNIS
Hoover 9, Tuscaloosa County 0: Hoover swept its section opponent on Tuesday on the road at Sipsey Valley High School in Buhl, winning every game. Senior Anthony Hill finished the match with 12 aces as Hoover improved to 2-0 in section play.
Montgomery Academy 9, Houston Academy 0: The Eagles improved to 5-1 on the year with the sweep in Dothan on Thursday.
Whit Davis led Montgomery Academy with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Mitchell Piedra at the No. 1 singles position. Other MA singles winners were Charlie Hill, John Alford, Jackson Brown, Ford Morano and Edwin Wu.
The doubles winners were Davis/ Hill, Alford/ Brown and Ron Sharma/ Morano.
On Wednesday, Montgomery Academy beat St. James 8-1 at the O’Connor Tennis Center in Montgomery.
Singles winners for Montgomery Academy were No. 1 Davis, 6-0, 6-0, over Josh Harvey; No. 3 Alford, 6-2, 6-4, over Danny Trock; No. 4 Brown, 6-1, 6-0, over Ryan Jeong; No. 5 Morano, 6-1, 6-2, over Jason Jeong; and No. 6 Wu, 6-4, 6-2, over Grayson Eaves. St. James’ Toba Rios defeated Hill 6-4, 6-1 at No. 2 singles.
Davis and Hill defeated Harvey/Rios 8-6 in No. 1 doubles. Alford/Brown beat Trock/Ryan Jeong 8-1 at No. 2 doubles and Sharma/Morano beat Jason Jeong/Eaves at the No. 3 doubles.
Editor’s Note: To report highlights to AL.com, please email [email protected] following your games. Reports must come from coaches or team statisticians.