The Hoover baseball team lines up for the national anthem before a game between Oak Mountain and Hoover on Wednesday, April 2, 2025 at Oak Mountain High School. Photo by Richard Force.
The Hoover High School team will not be advancing in the Class 7A playoffs, as the Bucs fell victim to a second straight one-run loss Monday night.
Tuscaloosa County knocked off the Bucs 3-2 last Saturday and 1-0 on Monday to earn the series victory.
Monday's result was not without controversy, though. The game had been played to a scoreless draw until the bottom of the seventh inning, when the Wildcats notched a pair of hits, the second one scoring a run to walk it off to win the game. Video evidence seems to show the Hoover catcher tagging the Tuscaloosa County runner before reaching the plate, but the runner was ruled safe to end the game.
A screenshot of the play at the plate was posted by Hoover Baseball's X account following the game.
The final play spoiled an otherwise outstanding start from Will Adams, who allowed four hits and struck out 11 batters over 6 2/3 innings.
Baylor Hardy tallied two of the Bucs' four hits in the game.
The first game of the series was played Saturday night, with Tuscaloosa County winning 3-2. Hoover scored in the first and third innings to open up a 2-0 lead, and that margin held for much of the game. Parker Johnson singled in a run in the first and Atticus Barton knocked in the second run. William Andre started on the mound, throwing 3 2/3 innings of hitless and scoreless ball.
Adams, Barton and Grayson Payne each tallied two hits in the game.
The loss ends Hoover's season with a 25-18 record.
