Sophomore Ja’markius Smith threw five no-hit innings and homered in Game 1 and Reeltown upset Class 2A No. 2 G.W. Long in the second round of the playoffs.

The Rebels (18-11) won the opener 2-0 behind Smith and swept G.W. with a 4-1 victory in Game 2.

Smith struck out eight and walked four in five shutout innings. Hutson Lewis pitched the final two innings to get the save. He allowed 3 hits and struck out 3.

Reeltown hit a pair of solo homers in the bottom of the third. Reed Wood’s shot made it 1-0. Smith’s homer bumped the lead to 2-0. Wood finished 2-for-3.

G.W. Long put runners on first and second in the top of the seventh but couldn’t score. G.W. Long’s Blayne Wood allowed five hits and two runs in six innings. He struck out 7 and walked 3.

In the nightcap, Reeltown scored single runs in the first and fifth inning and added two more in the top of the seventh. Hagan Lewis went 7 innings in Game 2, scattering 5 hits and allowing just the one run. He struck out 2 and walked 1.

Smith was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Slade Carleton drove in 2 runs. Eben Pritchett went 2-for-3 with an RBI for G.W. Long. Lawson German went the distance in taking the loss, allowing 7 hits and 4 runs. He struck out 6.

Reeltown will play Cottonwood or Ranburne in the quarterfinals.

CLASS 2A

Ariton 11-3, Tuscaloosa Academy 1-5

Russell Cole homered and Ellis Hamiter pitched a complete game as Tuscaloosa Academy forced Game 3 with a win in the nightcap.

The deciding game in the best-of-3 series is set for 4 p.m. Friday.

In the opener, the homestanding and third-ranked Purple Cats scored seven runs in the bottom of the first inning to take control. They finished with 8 hits.

Brodie Lowery was 2-for-2 with a pair of RBIs. Bryce Odom was 3-for-3 with 2 RBIs and 3 runs scored and Pierce Gill was 2-for-3 with an RBI and 2 runs scored.

Easton Kilpatrick was the winning pitcher, allowing just three hits in five innings. He struck out 5 and walked 2. TA starter Harwood Beeker took the loss, allowing 7 runs on 5 hits in just one inning.

Cody Faulkner homered for the Knights.

Tuscaloosa Academy turned the tables in the nightcap. Hamiter scattered 6 hits and allowed just 1 earned run. He struck out 3. Austin Evans gave up 5 runs on 9 hits in the loss.

Faulkner and Cole each had 2 hits for the Knights (14-19). Aven Cook and Conner Davidson had 2 hits each for two-time reigning state champ Ariton (25-10).

This post will be updated