1 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
The Bucs dogpile on the field after defeating Hewitt-Trussville 6-3 in game three of the series during round one of the Class 7A playoffs at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
2 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
The Bucs celebrate in the dugout after scoring in game three of the series against Hewitt-Trussville during round one of the Class 7A playoffs at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
3 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
in game three of the series during round one of the Class 7A playoffs at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
4 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
in game three of the series during round one of the Class 7A playoffs at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
5 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Hoover’s Mason Blasche (15) makes contact during an at-bat in game three of a first-round Class 7A playoff series against Hewitt-Trussville at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
6 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Hoover’s William Andre (18) pitches in game three of a first-round Class 7A playoff series against Hewitt-Trussville at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
7 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Hoover’s William Andre (18) pitches in game three of a first-round Class 7A playoff series against Hewitt-Trussville at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
8 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
The Bucs dogpile on the field after defeating Hewitt-Trussville 6-3 in game three of the series during round one of the Class 7A playoffs at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
9 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Hoover’s Camdyn Teague (6) swings at a pitch in game three of the series against Hewitt-Trussville during round one of the Class 7A playoffs at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
10 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Hewitt-Trussville’s Carson Wideman (25) catches a throw at first base as Hoover’s Camdyn Teague (6) runs down the first base line in game three of the series during round one of the Class 7A playoffs at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
11 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Hewitt-Trussville’s Steele Hall (19) dives back to first base as Hoover’s Will Adams (8) catches a pick-off throw in game three of a first-round Class 7A playoff series at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
12 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Hoover’s Will Adams (8) scores for the Bucs in game three of a first-round Class 7A playoff series against Hewitt-Trussville at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
13 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Hewitt-Trussville’s Carson Wideman (25) tags out Hoover’s Caid Finn (24) at first base during game three of a Class 7A first-round playoff series at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
14 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Hoover’s Andrew Pitts (30) makes contact during an at-bat in game three of a first-round Class 7A playoff series against Hewitt-Trussville at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
15 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Hoover’s Jaxson Wood (1) fields the ball in game three of a first-round Class 7A playoff series against Hewitt-Trussville at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
16 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Hoover’s Will Adams (8) runs down the first base line in game three of a first-round Class 7A playoff series against Hewitt-Trussville at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
17 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Hoover’s Jaxson Wood (1) fields the ball in game three of a first-round Class 7A playoff series against Hewitt-Trussville at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
18 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Hoover’s Caid Finn (24) fields the ball in game three of the series against Hewitt-Trussville during round one of the Class 7A playoffs at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
19 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
The Bucs dogpile on the field after defeating Hewitt-Trussville 6-3 in game three of the series during round one of the Class 7A playoffs at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
20 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Hewitt-Trussville’s Drew Ollis (12) tags home plate to record an out against Hoover’s Andy Howard (28) during game three of a Class 7A playoff series at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
21 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Hoover’s Jaxson Wood (1) moves to tag Hewitt-Trussville’s Jonah Jackson (2) at second in game three of a first-round Class 7A playoff series at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
22 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Hoover’s Jaxson Wood (1) gets set to catch the throw as Hewitt-Trussville’s Jonah Jackson (2) steals second in game three of a first-round Class 7A playoff series at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
23 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Hoover’s Jaxson Wood (1) makes contact during an at-bat in game three of a first-round Class 7A playoff series against Hewitt-Trussville at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
24 of 24
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Hoover’s Camdyn Teague (6) makes contact during an at-bat in game three of a Class 7A first-round playoff series against Hewitt-Trussville at Phil English Field on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
The Class 7A high school baseball playoffs lived up to the billing this weekend.
Hoover and Spain Park emerged on opposite ends of the madness Saturday, with the Bucs winning a decisive third game and the Jags coming up short.
Hoover traveled to Hewitt-Trussville, while Spain Park traveled to Thompson. Both teams split the first two games of their respective series on Friday night, setting up a big Saturday.
On Saturday, Hoover advanced with a 6-2 win over Hewitt-Trussville and Spain Park fell to Thompson 13-12 in a nine-inning, drama-filled affair.
Hoover led wire-to-wire in the third game, but it was certainly not without intrigue. The Bucs jumped on the board in the top of the first as Andy Howard walked with the bases loaded, the fourth straight Hoover batter to reach to begin the game. But Hewitt-Trussville starting pitcher Cooper Huffman eluded further damage and escaped the jam.
Carter Jackman, Friday night’s hero, hit a single in the third to drive in another run to give the Bucs a 2-0 lead.
Hewitt-Trussville got a run back in the fourth, but Hoover broke it open with a big fifth. The first five hitters of the inning reached, with Camdyn Teague, Jackman and Baylor Hardy each knocking in runs in the frame to make it 5-1. The teams exchanged runs in the following inning and entered the bottom of the seventh with a 6-2 score.
In the seventh, Hewitt loaded the bases via an error and two walks, before a double play ended the contest.
William Andre pitched six stellar innings for the Bucs, allowing two runs on three hits. Max Crowder got the final three outs.
Hoover will host James Clemens, which swept Grissom, next weekend in the second round of the 7A playoffs.
The first two games of Spain Park’s series against Thompson were slugfests, and the third game was no different. Thompson’s Makale Holden hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth to propel the Warriors to the wild 13-12 win.
Spain Park grabbed an early lead with three runs in the second and led 4-3 after three innings of play. Thompson tied the game at 5-5 after five innings, before the Jags went back ahead with three runs in the sixth.
But Thompson refused to go away, scoring three runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at 9-9 and send it into extra innings.
In the top of the ninth, Chapman Blevins singled, Aiden Berke hit a sacrifice fly and Sam Waldrop singled to drive in three runs to give Spain Park a 12-9 edge.
Despite two pitching changes in the bottom of the ninth, Spain Park was unable to record an out and Holden’s home run gave Thompson the series win.
Spain Park finishes the season with a 25-13 record.
