Calera stunned rival Chelsea with a comeback win to take the first game of the AHSAA Class 6A best-of-3 quarterfinal baseball playoffs, but the Hornets exploded for 16 runs to win Game 2.

The deciding Game 3 is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Friday.

After unranked Calera (21-16) scored 5 runs over the final 2 innings to win Game 1, third-ranked Chelsea (24-10) scored 7 runs in the first inning of Game 2 and cruised to the victory.

The Hornets pounded 15 hits in Game 2, led by Luke Neill’s 3-for-4, including a 2-run single in the first and 2 runs scored.

Paxton Stallings belted a grand slam and scored 3 runs while Aiden Craven was 3-for-5 with 4 RBIs and 2 runs. Chase Lackey was 2-for-2 with a triple, 3 runs and an RBI and Mack Breazeale had a double.

All 9 Chelsea batters had at least 1 hit.

Jackson Price pitched a no-hitter, throwing only 5 innings because of the 10-run mercy rule, striking out 8 and walking 2.

Calera managed only 4 walks in the first 5 innings of Game 1 as Chelsea sped to a 4-0 lead.

That’s when the Eagles got hot, Jaiden Brown leading off the sixth with a double followed by a Mac Graham single. Dalton Ash’s groundout scored Brown and a Chelsea error made it 4-2.

Chelsea got the first 2 outs in the final inning before 4 straight singles gave Calera a 5-4 lead.

Kegan Johnson started the 2-out rally then Brown singled and Graham produced a run-scoring single and Ash’s 2-run single gave Calera the lead for good.

Brown was 2-for-3 with the double and scored 2 runs while Graham was 2-for-4 with 2 runs.

Aiden Agee pitched the win.

Chelsea’s Logan Carson was 2-for-2 with 2 RBIs while Bryant Wisdom was 2-for-3 with an RBI and Aiden Hughes was 2-for-4 with a double.

CLASS 4A

Deshler 6, Haleyville 3

Class 4A No. 5 Deshler won the decisive game of a top-five series and advanced to the state semifinals with a Game 3 victory over No. 4-ranked Haleyville on Thursday.

The Tigers will face Central-Florence or No. 3 Etowah in the Class 4A state semifinals.

Along with pitching all 7 innings of the victory and allowing just 4 hits, Deshler pitcher Jacob Alexander went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with a 2-run home run in the top of the first to score G Reid.

Reid went 3-for-4 for Deshler and scored twice, while Brycen Williams logged a pair of RBIs for the Tigers.

Evan Cagle, Eli Cagle, Carson Gilbert and Even Howard each had a hit for Haleyville, with Gilbert and Howard also crossing home plate in the loss.

Etowah 2-2, Central-Florence 1-0

A pair of solid pitching performances from both teams saw Class 4A No. 3 Etowah pick up a sweep of Central-Florence on Thursday to advance to the state baseball semifinals.

The Blue Devils will face No. 5-ranked Deshler next week for a spot in the state championship series.

Etowah took the Game 1 pitching duel backed by a solid complete game from Damon Devine. The starter allowed just 4 hits and no earned runs (1 unearned) while walking 2 and striking out 6 in the third-round playoff matchup.

Reed Bruce pitched all 6 innings for Florence, allowing 4 hits and 2 earned runs while striking out 5 in the solid performance; he didn’t surrender a walk in the matchup.

Etowah scored both of its runs in the bottom of the fourth on back-to-back two-out RBI singles; the first came from Bennett Reeves to score Jameson Scissum and the next came on an Ethan Mendoza single that brought home Devine.

Elijah Lambert’s triple to score Cole Wilcoxson in the top of the fifth provided the lone run for Central; Lambert went 2-for-4 for Central in the loss.

Both of Etowah’s runs in Game 2 came in the bottom of the fourth, with the first on a sacrifice fly from Reeves to score Devine. A bunt from Dayton Porter two at-bats later resulted in a fielder’s choice and brought home Conner Dingler for the second run for the Blue Devils.

Scissum — a Jacksonville State baseball and football signee — pitched a complete-game shutout for Etowah as he allowed 5 hits and 4 walks while striking out 5.

Morrison finished 2-for-3 for Etowah, while five different players had a hit for Central-Florence.

CLASS 3A

Gordo 12, Whitesburg Christian 4

Class 3A No. 5 Gordo scored 9 runs in the first two innings on Thursday to secure a third-round victory over Whitesburg Christian and punch its ticket to the state semifinals.

The Greenwave will face either No. 3 Winfield or No. 7 Vinemont for a chance to advance to the state championship series following Thursday’s win in Huntsville.

An RBI double from Noah McDaniel to score Jase Neel got the scoring started for Gordo, with a 2-RBI single from West Pate and two more runners scoring 4 more runs in the first inning.

Pate finished 2-for-3 with a double and a game-high 4 RBIs for Gord, while Neel went 2-for-4 with a double and McDaniel drove in a pair of runs.

Ford Hewitt picked up the win for Gordo with 5.2 innings of work, allowing 2 earned runs while striking out 6.

Chase Utley, Ryab Kretz and Kaleb Robinson collected 2 hits apiece for Whitesburg Christian in the loss.

CLASS 2A

Pike Liberal 3, Tuscaloosa Academy 2

Pike Liberal Arts scored a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning and held on to eliminate Tuscaloosa Academy in Game 3 of their quarterfinal series.

The Patriots (20-15) will play Reeltown or Cottonwood in the state semifinals next week.

Trailing 2-1, Pike Liberal took the lead in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Luke Barron and a Tuscaloosa Academy error.

Barron finished with 2 of his team’s 3 RBIs. Jackson Bowen was 2-for-3 and 2 runs scored. Barron also went the distance to get the win on the mound. He allowed 6 hits and 2 runs. He struck out 4 and walked 1.

Cody Faulkner took the loss for TA. He allowed 5 hits and 3 runs. He struck out 3 and didn’t walk a batter. Ellis Hamiter was 2-for-4 for the Knights (16-21).

CLASS 1A

Addison 12-11, Lynn 1-6

The third-ranked Bulldogs rallied from a 4-run deficit to tie visiting Lynn and pushed across 5 runs in the top of the sixth inning to clinch the series with a doubleheader sweep.

Addison (27-9) will face the winner of the South Lamar-Hackleburg in the semifinals. The Stallions are scheduled to host the 11 a.m. playoff doubleheader on Friday with a third game, if necessary, set for Saturday at 11.

In the decisive inning, Addison got a 2-run home run from Jedidiah Wilkins, scored another run on an error, another on a passed ball on a third strike and Lane Stewart stole home for a run.

Both teams pounded out 11 hits with Lynn committing 3 errors to 1 for Addison.

Wilkins, the leadoff hitter, was 5-for-5 with a pair of runs scored for the Bulldogs. Stone Talley smacked a 2-run home run in the fifth inning as Addison scored 3 runs to knot the score at 6. Kaden Dyson was 2-for-3 with an RBI in the win. Tucker Thompson picked up the win, allowing 6 runs – 5 earned – on 11 hits with 6 strikeouts and a walk.

Caden Key went 2-for-3 for the Bears with 2 RBIs. Coby Sherer had a double and drove in 2 runs. Bryce Baughn was 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs and Julian Scott finished 2-for-4 with a double.

Austin Dodd took the loss in relief of starter Dylan Dunagan. Dodd was tagged for 5 runs – 2 earned – on 2 hits with 2 strikeouts without retiring a batter in the sixth inning. Dunagan gave up 6 runs – 4 earned – on 8 hits with 3 walks in 5 innings.

In Game 1, Addison jumped on the Bears early for a 4-0 first-inning lead and closed out a 5-inning mercy-rule win with 7 runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Both the Bulldogs and Lynn had 4 hits on the day – all singles – but Addison capitalized on 8 walks and an error.

Jaxson Williams was 1-for-2 and drove in 3 runs while Dyson drove in 2 runs on a ground out in the first inning and a sacrifice fly in the third. Thompson went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored.

Kiah Lake got the complete-game win, allowing a run on 4 hits with 3 strikeouts and 3 walks.

Connor Tittle, Baugh, Sherer and Ashton Hopkins had hits for Lynn (20-12). Dodd, the starter, was saddled with the loss, allowing 9 runs on 4 hits with 2 strikeouts and 6 walks in 3 innings.

This post will be updated.