No. 9-ranked Mobile Christian swept past No. 5 Shelby County on Thursday in a battle of top 10 teams in the second round of the Class 5A playoffs.

The Leopards won the opener 13-2 in five innings and the nightcap 9-2.

In the opener, Mobile Christian scored seven runs in the bottom of the first inning to take complete control. Jason Smith’s team added three runs each in the second and third innings.

Bryce Rivers homered and drove in two, Noah Blackburn was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and Gavin Weinshenker and Carson Cooper were 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. The Leopards pounded out 11 hits and took advantage of four Shelby County errors. Zach McKinion pitched all five innings to get the win. He allowed four hits and two runs, striking out five.

The second game was tied 2-2 before Mobile Christian scored a run in the top of the sixth and broke the game open with six in the top of the seventh. Chandler Carpenter had a bases-loaded double in the seventh, scoring three. Cooper had two RBIs. Maddox McKinion and Reid Schmitz combined on a four-hitter.

Sam Carter had two hits for Shelby County (22-11).

Mobile Christian (19-10) advances to play the winner of the Gulf Shores vs. Tallassee series in next week’s quarterfinals.

CLASS 3A

Fayette County 12-10, Piedmont 1-1

Unranked Fayette County stunned and eliminated top-ranked Piedmont, outscoring the Bulldogs 22-2 in the second round of the Class 3A playoffs.

Landon Lowe drove in five runs on two hits in Game 1. The Tigers (25-11) scored in every inning but the third and finished the game off with a six-run fifth. Hollis Strawbridge and Harrison Unger had two RBIs each. Cooper Sanford allowed three hits and one run in five innings for the win. He struck out four.

In the second game, Fayette scored 10 runs on 10 hits and took advantage of four Piedmont errors. Landon Lowe and Unger drove in two runs each. Brayden Unger had three hits. Harrison Unger pitched all seven innings, allowing four hits and a run and striking out nine.

Fayette County will play Westbrook Christian in the quarterfinals.

CLASS 2A

Ariton 3-12, Wicksburg 7-5

Host Ariton forced a deciding game with a 12-5 victory after dropping the first game of the double-header 7-3 to Wicksburg in a battle of top 10 teams.

Game 3 will be played Friday at 5 p.m.

Fourth-ranked Ariton (23-8-1) scored in five of seven innings, including 4 in the first and 3 in the seventh to secure the win.

Easton Kilpatrick had a double and 3 RBIs while Aven Cook was 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs and 4 runs scored. Jessie Pelham was also 2-for-4 with a double and 2 RBIs.

Austin Evans struck out 9 in the complete-game win.

Sixth-ranked Wicksburg broke a 3-all tie with 4 runs in the top of the seventh to earn the game 1 win.

Easton Dean’s 2-out 3-run homer – his only hit in the game – was the big blow in the inning after Seth Williams’ RBI single gave Wicksburg a 4-3 lead. Williams also had a double with 3 RBIs in the game.

Logan Colon pitched the win.

CLASS 1A

Appalachian 10-11, 2-1

Top-ranked Appalachian scored its 21 runs on 11 hits, scoring in 11 of 12 innings played – game 2 was stopped after 5 innings because of 10-run mercy rule – to sweep the double-header.

Cole Gargus was 2-for-2 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs to lead the Eagles (24-2) in game 1 while Camdyn Moore was 2-for-3 with an RBI, run and 2 steals. Tanner Bartlett belted a solo home run and Will Armstrong had a hit and 2 RBIs.

Bartlett also earned the win, striking out 11 and allowing 5 hits.

Armstrong was 3-for-4 with a triple and 4 RBIs to lead the second game attack. Bartlett and pitcher Preston Martin each had a double.

Martin pitched a 1-hitter, striking out 7 in 5 innings.

This post will be updated