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Spain Park players cheer for their teammates during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park poses with their runner-up trophy after Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park pitcher Hudson Franks (24) pitches during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park outfielder Joe Cross (21) swings at the ball during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Hartselle infielder/pitcher Asher Doepel (9) misses an overthrown ball against Spain Park catcher Jack Lutenbacher (19) during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park pitcher Hudson Franks (24) pitches the ball during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park head coach Will Smith watches from the 3rd base line during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park infielder/pitcher Michael Johnson (8) celebrates a play with teammate pitcher Hudson Franks (24) during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park head coach Will Smith disagree with a reversed call during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Hartselle poses with their championship trophy after Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Hartselle players celebrate their championship win after Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park head coach Will Smith receives the runner-up trophy after Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Hartselle players celebrate their championship win at the end of Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park infielder/pitcher Ryne Paquette (23) swings at the ball during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park infielder/pitcher Brody Smith (1) pitches the ball during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park infielder/pitcher Brody Smith (1) pitches the ball during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park infielder/pitcher Brody Smith (1) pitches the ball during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park head coach Will Smith is held back by his assistant coach after a call reversal during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park catcher Evan Taylor (6) and infielder/pitcher Mac Beverly (31) prematurely celebrate before a reversed call during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park catcher Evan Taylor (6) prematurely celebrates before a reversed call during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park outfielder/pitcher Brodie Bragg (18) makes an out at first base during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park outfielder/pitcher Brodie Bragg (18) dodges a pitch during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park infielder/pitcher Ryne Paquette (23) throws an out at second base during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Hartselle infielder Braden Weathers (7) steals second base against Spain Park infielder/pitcher Rhys Jones (5) during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park infielder/pitcher Michael Johnson (8) steals second base against Hartselle infielder/pitcher Asher Doepel (9) during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park infielder/pitcher Michael Johnson (8) swings at the ball during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park catcher Evan Taylor (6) catches the ball during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park catcher Evan Taylor (6) catches the ball during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park pitcher Hudson Franks (24) pitches the ball during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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The field in play during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Bat boy Miller Smith carries the bat during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Spain Park pitcher Hudson Franks (24) pitches during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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Hartselle infielder Braden Weathers (7) tries to tag Spain Park outfielder/pitcher Brodie Bragg (18) during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
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A Spain Park assistant coach speaks with an official during Game 2 of the AHSAA Class 6A State Final between Spain Park and Hartselle at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, AL on Thrs, May 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
JACKSONVILLE — The Spain Park High School baseball team's season ended Thursday just a couple runs shy of a state championship.
The Jags fell 9-8 in the series opener Wednesday before a 2-1 loss to Hartselle in the deciding game of the Class 6A state championship series Thursday at Jacksonville State University.
The Tigers claimed their second consecutive state title and 11th overall, while the Jaguars finished an incredible season at 35-10.
It was a finish that will linger. Spain Park had what it thought to be the game-winning run cross the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning in the second game, only to have it taken away by an umpire's ruling that the ball had struck a batter's foot, killing the play. The Jaguars never recovered the momentum.
Spain Park head coach Will Smith was less than pleased with the ruling on the play and acknowledged just how close the series was.
"Even after all that, to lose two one-run ball games, I think that's how even the two teams were,” he said. “It was a pitch here, a pitch there, we've got the bases loaded, a 3-2 count in the bottom of the seventh with two outs, and we hit a line drive to the center fielder. So yeah, it could have gone either way. Hats off to Hartselle. I thought they made pitches when they had to, but I was proud of the way that we bounced back today."
Hartselle took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Cruise Baker singled in Asher Doepel. Spain Park tied the game at 1-1 and the score stayed there through seven innings before the controversial sequence unfolded. Barrett Price had singled and streaked home on the play, and was ruled safe by the umpire before the call was overturned to a foul ball.
In the top of the eighth, Cole Miles drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Doepel, who had reached on a walk, for the go-ahead run. Doepel then came on in relief and retired Spain Park in the bottom of the frame to seal the championship.
Hudson Franks was outstanding in a losing effort, throwing 7 2/3 innings and allowing just three hits and no earned runs while striking out six. Hartselle starter Connor Stiles pitched six strong innings, allowing five hits and no earned runs with four strikeouts. Doepel, who earned series MVP honors, allowed one hit and struck out one in two innings of relief.
Michael Johnson led Spain Park with two hits. Jack Lutenbacher, Barrett Paquette, Evan Taylor and Price each had one hit.
Smith made no attempt to hide how much this group meant to him, or how difficult the ending was to process. But the pain of the ending did not overshadow what the Jaguars built over the course of the season.
"I wouldn't trade this group for any group that I've ever, ever had the opportunity to coach," Smith said. "So much about this game is about teaching you about life, how you handle adversity, but I can say this: the most important thing are the relationships and the memories that this group created, and I'll forever be in debt to them for that. As a coach, you asked your group to lay it on the line, and this group laid it on the line every single day, and I'll forever be grateful for that."
Both games of the series went down to the wire. In the first game, the Jags rallied from a four-run deficit to tie the game, before Hartselle won it in the bottom of the seventh. Joe Cross had two hits, a run batted in and three runs scored to lead the offense. Slade Bounds knocked in a pair of runs as well.
On their way to the final, the Jags defeated McAdory, Benjamin Russell, Gulf Shores and Northridge in the playoffs.
"Just being able to get to the last day and play baseball and be together as a team on the last day that you could possibly play in 6A up to today," Smith said. "Very few people have an opportunity to play in a state championship, and to have graduation on that same day, it's just memories that you'll never forget.”
