The Reset: Jags pick up 2 key area wins
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
Last Tuesday, the Spain Park baseball team fell to Vestavia Hills 6-4 in a Class 7A, Area 6 game. Brooks Ballintine hit a home run for the Jags, while Jake Majors pitched two scoreless innings of relief for the team.
Hoover fell to Tuscaloosa County 3-2 in a Class 7A, Area 5 game on Tuesday. Tyler Wilson pitched well for the Bucs, allowing one run on one hit with four strikeouts in three innings.
Hoover rebounded and earned a sweep over Tuscaloosa County on Thursday. The Bucs won the first game 8-1. Sean Agsalud led the offense with three hits, including a home run, with three RBIs. Carter Short had two hits and two RBIs, while Matthew Hawsey was strong the mound. He allowed just an unearned run on six hits in 5 1/3 innings. Walter Ford did not allow a hit over the final 1 2/3 innings as well. In an 11-6 win, Agsalud had another big game, going 4-for-4 with three RBIs. Cade Carr drove in four runs and Colin Rengering struck out six over five innings of work.
Spain Park put together an impressive rally to knock off area foe Vestavia Hills on Thursday, scoring six runs in the sixth inning to win 6-4. Evan Smallwood doubled home two in the inning, supplementing a solid pitching performance from the Jags. Eli Copenhaver allowed four runs (three earned) in six innings, while John Robert Thompson allowed nothing in the final inning to pick up the save.
Hoover swept a high-scoring doubleheader on Saturday, winning each game by a run. The Bucs beat American Christian twice, starting with a 9-8 victory. Evan Radford and Lucas Steele each homered for the Bucs, with Steele knocking in three runs to lead the offense. Jack Campbell was solid in relief, allowing no hits in 1 1/3 innings. In the second game, Ford hit a walk-off, three-run homer to send Hoover to a 13-12 win. It was Ford’s second homer of the game and he finished with four RBIs. Agsalud also had a strong game, going 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs.
Spain Park fell to Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa 5-2 on Saturday as well.
SOFTBALL
The Hoover softball team began last week on Tuesday with a 14-4 win over Oak Mountain. Bailee Tramell was the star for the Bucs, going 3-for-4 at the plate with a double and a grand slam, driving in five runs. Bella Foran tallied three hits and scored three runs for the Bucs as well. Hannah Christian and Campbell Hecklinski each drove in two runs, while Laney Roe went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
Spain Park picked up a big Class 7A, Area 6 win over Vestavia Hills, 3-1, on Tuesday. Maggie Daniel’s two-run home run in the first inning was the difference, and Annabelle Widra took it the rest of the way. Widra pitched the complete game, allowing just one run on four hits, striking out 12 batters. She knocked in a run at the plate as well.
On Wednesday, Spain Park knocked off the top-ranked team in the state, downing area foe Hewitt-Trussville 8-6 and avenging a loss earlier in the season. Lydia Coleman went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs, while Widra pitched the complete game in the circle.
SOCCER
Last Tuesday, the Spain Park boys soccer team defeated Vestavia Hills 3-1 in an area contest. Hoover’s girls blanked Prattville 2-0, while the Spain Park girls lost to Vestavia Hills 3-1.
On Thursday, Hoover’s boys fell to Oak Mountain 3-2 on penalty kicks, as Oak Mountain won the shootout 5-4. Kosi Udeh and Graham Houlditch scored goals for Hoover in regulation.
Both Spain Park teams were in action on Friday, the boys beating John Carroll 5-3 and the girls winning 2-1 over the Cavaliers. Hoover’s girls lost to Thompson in a shootout after a scoreless regulation.
Hoover’s boys knocked off the Baylor School out of Tennessee, 3-2, on Saturday.
TRACK AND FIELD
The Hoover and Spain Park track and field teams competed in the Mountain Brook Invitational over the weekend. Hoover’s girls won the event, while the Bucs boys came in third. Spain Park’s boys placed fifth, while the girls were sixth.
Winning individual events for Hoover were Jebreiya Chapman (100-meter dash), Chakiya Plummer (300-meter hurdles), Kayla Jemison (high jump) and Taniyah Thomas (discus). The Hoover girls won the 4x100 and 4x400 relays as well. The boys came across first in the 4x100 Clydesdale as well.
For Spain Park, Mackenzie Culpepper won the 800, Anna Collins won pole vault and Keon Buck came across first in the 100 and 200 races. The Spain Park boys also won the 4x100 relay.
— What else would you like to see mentioned? For any suggestions, feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnespublishing.com.