Photo by Erin Nelson. Starnes Media
Hoover’s Evan Radford (26) makes contact for a double in a game against Marbury (Tenn.) High School in the Bucs Classic spring break tournament on Saturday, March 27, 2021. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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
On March 16, the Hoover baseball team fell to Briarwood 4-3. After taking a 3-0 lead, the Bucs surrendered the lead in the fifth and sixth innings. Jack Campbell and Tyler Wilson pitched well for the Bucs, each going two scoreless innings and allowing two hits each.
On March 18, Spain Park fell to Homewood 2-1. The Patriots scored two runs in the sixth inning and that was enough for the win. Eli Copenhaver pitched well in his start for the Jags, allowing just one hit and striking out seven in five scoreless innings. Harrison Holcomb pitched the final two innings in hitless fashion.
Hoover swept a doubleheader on March 19, beating Smiths Station 4-1 and picking up a 9-2 victory over Russell County. In the Smiths Station victory, Carter Short went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. RJ Hamilton hit a double and knocked in a pair of runs as well. Brewer Smith earned the win in a strong start on the mound, allowing just one run on three hits with seven strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. Colin Rengering picked up the save by getting the final two outs via strikeout.
Hamilton tripled and scored three runs against Russell County. Lucas Steele went 3-for-4 and Conner Prothro doubled and drove in two runs. Walter Ford was sharp on the mound, going six innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits with 12 strikeouts.
Hoover dropped both ends of a doubleheader on March 20. The Bucs fell to Central-Phenix City 5-4 in the first game. Steele doubled and drove in a pair of runs to lead the offense. In the second game, the Bucs’ bats woke up but they still fell 12-8 to St. Anne-Pacelli (Ga.). Steele homered in the game, while Ashton Hawkins and Andrew Batson each drove in two runs.
Hoover hosted the Hoover Buc Classic last week, playing six games. On Wednesday, the Bucs beat Hueytown 4-3 and fell to Prattville 11-10. In the win, Smith pitched five strong innings, allowing one run on four hits and striking out 10. In the loss, Hawkins led the offense with a double, home run and four RBIs. Cade Carr and Walter Ford each registered three hits and two doubles, with Ford knocking in a run.
On Friday, Hoover lost to Chelsea 12-1 and beat CAK (Tenn.) 4-3 in 10 innings. In the win, Alex Wilson registered the walk-off hit. Steele homered and drove in two runs, while Matthew Hawsey and Rengering combined for a strong pitching effort. Hawsey struck out eight in 5 1/3 innings, with three runs charged to him all unearned. Rengering allowed just one hit and struck out seven in 4 2/3 innings.
Hoover split its games on Saturday, beating Pelham 11-2 and falling to Marbury 9-7. In the victory, Ford hit two home runs, one of them a grand slam, and finished with six RBIs. Evan Radford doubled home two runs and William Hobbs allowed two runs on two hits in 3 2/3 innings pitched. In the loss, Hawkins drove in three, Carr drove in two and Jack Campbell threw five hitless innings.
Spain Park played five games in the Buc Classic as well. On Wednesday, the Jags earned a 5-1 win over Gardendale and a 9-0 triumph over Collierville (Tenn.). Against Gardendale, Cole Edwards homered to lead the offense. Evan Smallwood earned the win, going 5 1/3 innings and allowing just an unearned run. Hayden Humber picked up the save, going the final 1 2/3 in hitless fashion. Against Collierville, Holcomb struck out five in a masterful performance.
On Friday, the Jags fell to Hueytown 8-6 but beat Lincoln County (Tenn.) 3-2. In the loss, Edwards hit a grand slam to boost the offense. In the win, Michael Glick homered to support a great Copenhaver performance on the mound. He allowed an unearned run on five hits in six innings of work.
Spain Park wrapped up the event on Saturday with a 6-5 loss to Grissom. Edwards hit another home run, while Glick drove in two runs and Ryan Cole allowed one run on three hits in five innings.
SOFTBALL
The Hoover softball team knocked off Thompson 5-1 in an area contest on March 19. Bailee Tramell led the Bucs offense, going 3-for-3 with two home runs and four runs batted in. Brookelyn Cannon shut down the Warriors in the circle, allowing an unearned run on six hits in seven innings.
Last week, the Bucs played in the Gulf Coast Classic in Gulf Shores. They played four games on Monday and two on Tuesday before the event was shortened due to weather. In an 8-6 win over Pleasant Valley, Campbell Hecklinski led the offense by going 3-for-3 with a double and four RBIs. Ollivia Christian pitched well, going 5 2/3 innings with six hits, two runs (none earned) and four strikeouts. Gia Wade drove in both runs in a 2-0 win over Sumiton Christian, as Cannon hurled six shutout innings.
The Bucs then lost to Hayden 7-6, despite Cannon driving in two runs. They finished the day with a 6-4 loss to Orange Beach.
On Tuesday, Cannon threw six more shutout innings in a 2-0 win over Albertville. The Bucs ended their run in the tournament with a 4-3 loss to Thompson, despite Christian allowing just five hits and two runs (one earned) in seven innings.
SOCCER
On March 16, the Spain Park boys soccer team began the week with a big 2-1 win over Vestavia Hills. The same night, Hoover’s girls fell to Mountain Brook 2-0.
On March 18, the Spain Park girls picked up an area win over Gadsden City, 2-0. Hoover’s boys also improved to 12-0 with a 2-1 win over Thompson. Kosi Udeh scored the first goal for the Bucs, with the second coming on an own goal.
Hoover’s boys suffered their first loss of the year on March 19 with a 1-0 loss to Grissom.
TRACK AND FIELD
The Hoover track and field team swept the Northridge Jaguar Invitational on March 20, dominating the boys and girls competitions.
Individual winners for the Bucs were Lauren Wallace in the 800-meter run, Chakiya Plummer in the 100-meter hurdles and 300 hurdles, Kayla Jemison in the high jump and triple jump, Ainsley Staie in the discus, Taniyah Thomas in javelin, Sam Kilgore in the 800, Kyle Epperson in the 1,600 and 3,200, Mohammed Sakalla in the 300 hurdles, Joshua Whitt in high jump, Collin Pate in pole vault and Nick Ragland in javelin.
Spain Park competed in the Helena Classic on the Hill on March 18. The boys finished 12th as a team. John Landers won the pole vault competition with a clearance of 12 feet, 6 inches.
— What else would you like to see mentioned? For any suggestions, feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnespublishing.com.
