The Reset: Bucs baseball hands Vestavia Hills 1st loss

by ,

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

The Hoover baseball team handed Vestavia Hills its first loss of the season last Tuesday, knocking off the Rebels 5-3. The Bucs scored four runs in the second inning, highlighted by Robby Ashford’s two-run double. Vestavia Hills got on the board in the fourth as Grant Cacace and Mason Maners were each hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The Rebels put the winning run on base in the seventh, but Daniel Swatek worked out of trouble to secure the Hoover win.

Hoover fell to Cullman 4-0 on Friday afternoon, as the Bucs notched just two hits in the ball game.

Spain Park

The Spain Park baseball team pulled out a close 6-5 victory over Gadsden City last Tuesday, behind three runs in the Jags’ final at-bat. In the three-run sixth inning, Adam Wygle drew a bases-loaded walk and the Jags took the lead on a two-run error in the ensuing at-bat.

Spain Park scored three runs in the sixth inning to take the lead for good and defeat Homewood 6-2 on Wednesday afternoon. After Homewood tied the game on a two-run Daniel Patton single in the fifth, the Jags strung together three straight hits to start the sixth en route to the big inning. Matthew Robbins got the win for Spain Park, as he allowed six hits and two runs over six innings.

The Jags picked up three wins over the weekend, beginning with a 6-4 victory over Auburn on Friday afternoon. They rallied from a three-run hole with two runs each in the fourth and fifth innings. Robbins and Colby Mills each knocked in two runs in the game. Jaxson Lucas picked up the win, going four innings in relief and allowing just three hits and no runs.

On Saturday, Spain Park began things with a 10-5 victory over Grissom. Colton Ledbetter led off for the Jags and led the charge, going 3-for-5 with two homers and four RBIs to go along with three runs scored. Spain Park’s bats stayed hot in an ensuing 15-5 win over Sparkman. Chris Mancill drove in three runs while four others tallied two RBIs apiece.

SOFTBALL

Hoover

The Hoover softball team fell to area foe Thompson 5-4 in eight innings on Wednesday. The Bucs tied the game in dramatic fashion in the seventh, as Campbell Hecklinski homered with the team down to its last strike. But Thompson’s run in the eighth allowed the Warriors to walk off winners.

Hoover competed in the Oxford Spring Sting tournament over the weekend and advanced to the quarterfinals. On Friday in pool play, the Bucs began things with a 13-2 win over Handley. Jordyn Johnson drove in three runs while four others notched two RBIs each. In the next game, Hoover put up six runs in the second inning and cruised to a 7-1 win over Lawrence County. Hecklinski had a big game, going 3-for-3 with a double, triple and four RBIs. Brookelyn Cannon went four innings in the circle, allowing one run on five hits with nine strikeouts.

The Bucs began Saturday with a 6-0 shutout of Chelsea, as Cannon drove in a pair of runs and allowed just two hits in four innings pitched. Claire Manering went 2-for-2 with a double and four RBIs in the Bucs’ next game, an 8-3 win over Lincoln.

Hoover picked up an 8-2 win over Moody once bracket play began, led by Madeline Harris’ inside-the-park grand slam to highlight a six-run first inning by the Bucs. Harris also pitched four innings, allowing two runs on four hits. Chelsea avenged its earlier loss with a 3-1 win over Hoover, ending the Bucs' run in the quarterfinals.

Spain Park

The Spain Park softball team got last week off to a strong start with a 19-0 area win over Mountain Brook. Kate Campbell allowed just one hit over her four innings in the circle, while the Jags offense took care of the rest. Caroline Wooley homered and drove in five runs in the game, while Maddie Majors registered three hits and four RBIs. Taylor Harrington drove home three. Turner Cole reached twice for the Spartans, notching a hit and a walk.

Spain Park’s bats were on fire in an 18-2 win over area opponent Hewitt-Trussville on Wednesday evening. The Jags put up nine runs in the third inning and never looked back, as they hit five home runs on the evening. Wooley hit two homers, while Lydia Coleman, Annabelle Widra and Majors each went deep as well. Hannah Borden hit a two-run shot for the Huskies in the third inning. Widra also went the distance in the circle, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out nine in five innings.

Over the weekend, Spain Park competed in the Oxford Spring Sting tournament and won the whole thing on Saturday evening. The Jags began the event with a pair of pool play games on Friday, starting with a 7-3 win over Moody. Coleman led the way with two hits and two RBIs. The Jags then handled Sylvania 8-1, as Lindsay Parker and Campbell each drove in a pair of runs while Caroline Kendrick and Campbell combined for the shutout in the circle.

On Saturday, the Jags proceeded to win six games, including a pair over area opponents, to win the tournament. Widra allowed just one hit and struck out seven in a 2-0 win over Northview to begin the day, while Majors homered and knocked in four in an 11-1 win over Piedmont. Taylor Harrington homered and had a walk-off single in the 3-2 win over Lawrence County.

Spain Park then defeated Vestavia Hills 11-0, as Campbell allowed just one hit in her four innings in the circle and drove in three runs on her own. Majors homered as well and knocked in three more. Harrington registered another walk-off hit in a 5-4 win against Hewitt-Trussville in the semifinals while Widra drove in two runs as well. In the final, Spain Park scored two runs in the sixth to go ahead for good in a 3-1 win over Central-Phenix City. Widra allowed just one run on four hits and struck out six to help the Jags win the tournament.

GOLF

The Spain Park girls golf team finished second at Hoover’s March Madness Invitational early last week, and Marilyn Steed took home individual champion honors by firing a two-day total of 142.

TENNIS

Hoover and Spain Park faced off on the tennis court last week, with the Hoover girls taking a 7-2 win and the Spain Park boys winning 6-3.

SOCCER

The Hoover boys soccer team beat Spain Park 4-2 on Monday in its opening game of the Birmingham Metro Tournament. Nick Ibanez, Richard Ujueta, Caleb Cousineau and Dylan Steely all scored for the Bucs.

On Wednesday, Hoover beat Oxford 10-0 in its second game of the Metro Tournament. Ibanez, Cousineau and Sam Bauder notched two goals apiece in the runaway victory.

The Bucs (9-1-2) closed the Metro Tournament with a 4-0 win over Chelsea on Saturday. Steely, Bauder, Seth Davidson and Cade Brinkman all notched second-half goals to help Hoover pull away.

This week, the team will host Class 7A, Area 5 opponent Thompson on Tuesday before playing a pair of Tennessee teams later in the week.

The Hoover girls soccer team knocked off John Carroll 1-0 on Tuesday. Sophia Hontzas scored the winning goal for the Bucs. On Friday, Hoover fell 2-1 at 7A, Area 5 opponent Oak Mountain. Kyla Shaw scored her team’s lone goal.

This week, Hoover will play at Richmond Hill (Ga.) and Hilton Head (S.C.) on Friday and Saturday.

Spain Park

The Spain Park boys soccer team fell to Hoover 4-2 on Monday in its opening game of the Birmingham Metro Tournament. Sam Marino and Yusef Hamid tallied goals for the Jags. Later in the week, Spain Park fell to Oak Mountain, 1-0, and Pelham, 1-0.

The Jags (3-5-2) will look to rebound this week, as they host Helena on Tuesday and play at Cullman on Thursday.

The Spain Park girls soccer team beat 7A, Area 6 opponent Hewitt-Trussville 3-0 on Wednesday. Jasmine Greene scored two goals for the Jags. On Friday, Spain Park defeated Briarwood 5-2 behind a hat trick from Greene.

The Jags, now 9-2-2 on the season, will host area opponent Mountain Brook on Tuesday.

TRACK AND FIELD

The Hoover and Spain Park track and field teams competed on Saturday at the Homewood Invitational.

Hoover had two athletes win events. Jaiya Davis took first in the girls 400 meters in 59.96 seconds, while LJ Hill took first in the boys 300-meter hurdles in 40.6.

— What else would you like to see mentioned? For any suggestions, feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnespublishing.com.