The Reset: Jags softball wins 21st straight
Over the course of the year, the Hoover Sun will keep you up to date on the various Hoover and Spain Park high school athletic teams. For previous weekly updates, click here.
BASEBALL
Hoover
Last Tuesday, the Hoover baseball team slugged its way to a 10-4 win over Vestavia Hills. The Bucs broke open a scoreless tie with seven runs in the third inning to earn the win. Evan Radford knocked a home run in the game, driving home two runs. Davis Young was dynamic from the leadoff spot, going 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. Carter Short and Robby Ashford each doubled and knocked in a pair of runs as well. Carter Zulanas led the Rebels with two hits and two RBIs on the evening.
Hoover picked up an 11-7 win over Enterprise on Friday evening. Colson Lawrence led the offensive charge for the Bucs, who scored seven runs in the second inning and never trailed. Lawrence went 3-for-4 on the night, slugging a homer and driving in four runs. Ashford also knocked in a pair.
Hoover swept a doubleheader on Saturday. In a 13-6 win over Ramsay, Lawrence and Young led the offensive charge, as each homered and drove in two runs. Lawrence Hammonds went 2-for-3 with a double, triple and three RBIs as well. The Bucs then defeated Enterprise 12-3. Ashford was 2-for-3 with a homer and four RBIs. Cooper Prince was also 2-for-3, as he doubled and drove home three runs.
Spain Park
Last Tuesday, the Spain Park baseball team took down Homewood 10-2. The Jags scored seven runs in the first inning and cruised to the victory. For Spain Park, Colton Ledbetter led the offensive charge with two hits and two RBIs in the contest. Ethan Smallwood and Ashton Cobb also each drove in two runs. Homewood’s Trae Ausmer notched two hits for the Patriots.
On Friday, Spain Park traveled to Auburn and beat the Tigers 9-4 in nine innings. The Jags broke the tie in the top of the ninth, started by a run-scoring go-ahead hit by Jack Poist. Trent Thompson and Ledbetter each drove in two runs for the Jags in the game as well. Jaxson Lucas was strong in relief, allowing one hit and striking out three in 2 2/3 scoreless innings.
Spain Park continued on to Phenix City on Saturday, where the Jags picked up a pair of wins. IN an 8-3 win over Daphne, Adam Wygle led the way with a pair of hits and three RBIs. Carter Sidor was 2-for-5 with a double and two runs driven in. Eli Mefford was strong on the mound, as he went six innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits. The Jags then knocked off Saraland 5-2. Matthew Robbins registered a double and two RBIs in the win.
SOFTBALL
Hoover
The Hoover softball team suffered a 4-3 loss to Thompson last Monday in the Bucs’ Class 7A, Area 5 opener. Hoover scored three runs over the first two innings, on the strength of home runs from Jordan Moore and Campbell Hecklinski. But a Thompson two-run homer in the sixth inning lifted the Warriors to the victory.
Hoover got its first area win on Thursday in a 5-2 win over Tuscaloosa County. Hannah Presley hit a home run and drove in two runs, while Brookelyn Cannon hit a homer as well. Emily Sims went the distance in the circle, allowing five hits and two unearned runs in seven innings.
Hoover hosted the Buccaneer Round Robin over the weekend and played a pair of games on Saturday. In the first game, the Bucs tied Mortimer Jordan 2-2. Presley hit a homer for Hoover and Cannon was stellar in the circle, as she allowed just two runs and four hits in a seven-inning effort. Madi Maze struck out 13 for Mortimer Jordan as she pitched all seven innings. Hoover then fell to John Carroll 5-3. Katie Norris hit a three-run homer in the final inning to provide the Bucs’ scoring.
Spain Park
The Spain Park softball team returned to action last weekend at the Terry Collins Memorial Tournament in Dothan. The Jags won both their pool games on Friday, 16-0 over Cottonwood and a 5-3 win over Headland. In the blowout win over Cottonwood, Lindsay Parker went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs. Annabelle Widra had a stellar game, going 3-for-3 at the plate with a double, triple and four RBIs, while also throwing two hitless innings in the circle. Taylor Harrington and Chloe Brittain each doubled and brought in two runs, while Katie Flannery had two RBIs as well. Katherine Brown pitched the final two innings, allowing just one hit and striking out four. Against Headland, Harrington drove in two more runs, while Widra had three hits and recorded the save by pitching the last inning.
Spain Park made a run on Saturday to win the tournament and improve its record to 21-0. The Jags began the day with a 15-0 rout of Brantley. In that contest, Widra had a grand slam, while Brittain and Lydia Coleman each homered and drove in three runs. Harrington had a double and two RBIs as well. Spain Park then took down Dothan, the top team in Class 6A, 3-2. Dothan’s Jaala Torrence pitched well, striking out 11 in six innings. Widra matched her, striking out 14 in seven innings for the Jags. Alexis Anderson was the offensive hero, as she went 2-for-3 with a double and a home run. In the tournament final, the Jags knocked off Saraland 5-0. Widra and Ella Reed combined for a one-hit shutout. Flannery had a home run and two RBIs.
SOCCER
Hoover
The Hoover boys soccer team exploded for a 6-1 win over John Carroll last Tuesday. Igor Rudolph scored two first-half goals for the Bucs. Sam Bauder added another goal to give Hoover a 3-0 lead going into the half.
Richard Ujueta, Andrew Raschke and Bauder all scored goals in the second half to extend the lead. John Carroll got its lone goal from Braxton Buckner. Hoover is now 5-1-1 on the season.
The Hoover girls soccer team went 2-0 on the week, outscoring opponents 5-1. The Lady Bucs first defeated Grissom 3-1 on Tuesday. Hoover added the second win by a 2-0 score against John Carroll on Thursday. The Lady Bucs are 6-3 on the season.
Spain Park
Spain Park’s boys team won and lost an area match during the week to move to 2-1 in the area. The Jaguars first beat Hewitt-Trussville by an impressive 7-1 margin to move to 2-0 in the area on Tuesday. Spain Park, however, could not keep up the perfect area play, falling to Mountain Brook 3-2 on Thursday. The Jaguars are 8-2-1 on the season.
The girls won their only match of the week against Mountain Brook. The 2-1 area win helped the Lady Jaguars to a 1-1 area record.
TENNIS
Hoover
Hoover’s girls tennis team stayed perfect on the year with a 7-2 win over Spain Park on Monday. The Lady Bucs are 7-0 on the season.
The boys team did not have the same fortune, losing twice during the week. The Bucs fell to Spain Park on Monday by a 6-3 final. The second loss came to Vestavia Hills 7-2 on Thursday.
Spain Park
The Spain Park girls tennis team split its two matches last week. On Monday, Spain Park lost to Hoover 7-2, before beating Tuscaloosa County 9-0 on Tuesday.
The boys went 3-0 on the week, with two sweeps. Spain Park defeated Hoover 6-3 on Monday. On Tuesday, the Jaguars beat Tuscaloosa County and on Wednesday, they defeated Oak Mountain. The Jaguars won both of those contests 9-0.
GOLF
Hoover
The Hoover girls golf team finished in sixth and 10th place in the two-day March Madness tournament hosted by Hoover High School. The Hoover A team finished in sixth place by shooting a 526. The B team shot a 590 to finish in 10th place.
Neysa Dechachutinan had a two-day total of 162 to earn a seventh-place finish as an individual.
Spain Park
Marilyn Steed shot a 165 on her two-day total at the March Madness tournament. She finished in ninth place as an individual. The team finished in second place during the competition by shooting a 510, behind first-place Huntsville by 15 strokes.
TRACK AND FIELD
Hoover
Hoover and Thompson hosted a dual outdoor track and field meet on Saturday. The Bucs track team won 20 events during the meet, including wins in multiple running and field events.
— What else would you like to see mentioned? For any suggestions, feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnespublishing.com.