Kamp Fender
Daniel Swatek (17) increases his lead from third base during a baseball game between Hoover and Chelsea at the Hoover High School baseball field on Thursday, March 28, 2019. (Kamp Fender)
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 Oak Mountain and Hoover baseball teams opened a Class 7A, Area 5 series on Wednesday, with Oak Mountain picking up a 1-0 win in a pitchers’ duel. The lone run in the contest came on Ryan Reuse’s run-scoring double in the bottom of the fifth inning. Both pitchers were outstanding, with Jackson Kimbrell allowing just one hit and striking out 10 batters in his seven innings. Cole Baker struck out nine and surrendered three hits in six innings for Hoover.
Hoover and Oak Mountain split a doubleheader on Thursday, to give Oak Mountain the series win. In the first game, the Bucs notched a 7-0 victory. Peyton Wilson, Robby Ashford and Jesse Kelley all registered two hits and two RBIs for Hoover. Daniel Swatek hurled a complete game shutout, as he allowed just two hits and struck out five.
Oak Mountain rallied to win the second game 5-4, as the teams combined for seven runs in the final frame. Oak Mountain broke a 1-1 tie with four runs in the top of the seventh and Hoover nearly came back with three runs of its own in the bottom half on a Wilson home run. Caleb Ragland drove in two runs for the Eagles.
Spain Park
The Hewitt-Trussville baseball team opened a Class 7A, Area 6 series with a 7-0 win over Spain Park on Tuesday evening. The Huskies scored six runs in the first inning and cruised to victory. Creed Parker and Tyler Mauldin each knocked in two runs, while Michael Fowler threw a three-hit shutout, striking out 10.
Hewitt-Trussville completed the sweep on Thursday with a 10-7 win over Spain Park. The Jags jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the second inning, but the Huskies rallied with four runs in the fifth and took the lead for good with five runs in the seventh. Hudson Boren drove in three runs on the night, while Parker and Zach Defnall each drove in a pair. Ethan Smallwood had two RBIs for the Jags.
Spain Park notched a win on Friday, as the Jags took down Chelsea 9-2. Colton Ledbetter led the offense, as he doubled, homered and drove in four runs for the Jags. Eli Meffort and JR Lambert each pitched three innings and both allowed a single run apiece.
SOFTBALL
Hoover
The Hoover softball team fell to area opponent Thompson 13-5 on Wednesday afternoon. The Bucs scored the tying runs in the fourth inning and again in the fifth, but an eight-run sixth for Thompson blew the game open. Jordan Moore got the Bucs on the board with a homer and Brookelyn Cannon hit a three-run home run as well.
Hoover defeated Chelsea 10-0 on Thursday. Harper Niblett, Moore and Cannon all drove home two runs for the Bucs, while Cannon allowed just one hit and struck out 10 batters in five innings.
Hoover played in Helena’s round robin event over the weekend, and won one of the four games it played. The Bucs began the event on Friday with an 8-7 loss to Helena. Moore homered once again and had two RBIs, while Harper Niblett had a double among her two hits and drove in a pair as well. Springville knocked off Hoover 9-4 in the second game of the day, as Cannon hit a homer and drove in two runs.
Hoover notched a 2-0 win over Albertville on Saturday morning, as Hannah Presley and Abby Fortner drove in the runs and Cannon threw a three-hit shutout over six innings. James Clemens took care of the Bucs 14-3 in the final game.
Spain Park
The Spain Park softball team knocked off Hewitt-Trussville 4-2 on Wednesday in an area game on the strength of Maddie Majors’ two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh. Lindsay Parker’s single in the second gave the Jags the early lead, but Hewitt scored twice in the sixth to claim the lead, before Spain Park scored on an error to knot the game at 2-2 in the sixth. KK Hughes pitched well for Hewitt, going 6 1/3 innings and allowing four runs (three earned) on nine hits. Spain Park’s Annabelle Widra struck out nine and gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits.
Spain Park won the Sumiton Christian Claw Classic tournament over the weekend, winning four straight after an opening loss to claim the crown. In the first game on Friday, Alexis Anderson and Bailey Bowers homered but Winfield knocked off the Jags 9-6. But the Jags rebounded and posted a 5-0 win over Oakman that evening. Ella Reed made her first varsity start and allowed just two hits and struck out seven in the shutout.
The Jags completed pool play on Saturday with a 7-2 win over Huntsville. Five players had two hits in the game for Spain Park, with Widra driving in two runs and pitching two scoreless innings. To begin bracket play, Anderson drove in a first-inning run to lift Spain Park to a 1-0 win over Sumiton Christian. Widra pitched six innings, striking out 14 while allowing just three hits. Anderson drove in two more runs and Reed threw a one-hit shutout in the championship game, as the Jags beat Huntsville 6-0.
GOLF
The Spain Park boys golf team traveled to Carrollton, Georgia, over the weekend, and won the Trojan Invitational. Slade McCraw finished third as an individual and Hayden Carner tied for fourth.
SOCCER
Hoover
The Hoover boys soccer team began play last week on Monday with a 2-1 loss to Homewood in penalty kicks. It was the final game of the Birmingham Metro Tournament, which was held primarily in March but encountered weather delays. An early goal from Caleb Cousineau gave Hoover, ranked first in Class 7A, a 1-0 lead. Homewood’s Matthew Henderson then scored the equalizer in the second half to force overtime. Henderson, Jackson Wallace, Connor Smith and Alex Harris all converted penalty kicks to lift the Patriots to victory. Henderson was named Metro Tournament MVP. On Saturday, the Bucs beat Huntsville 4-0 to improve to 13-4-2 on the season. Lawson Shaw recorded a goal and an assist in the win.
The Hoover girls soccer team earned a 5-1 victory on Thursday over 7A, Area 5 opponent Thompson. Gaby Walker and Leanna Eubanks both scored twice in the win, which moved the Lady Bucs to 8-4-3 on the season.
Spain Park
The Spain Park girls soccer team (11-4-3) fell on Thursday to 7A, Area 6 opponent Vestavia Hills 5-0 and on Friday tied James Clemens 1-1. The Spain Park boys soccer team (4-10-2) fell to area opponents Vestavia Hills 2-0 on Tuesday and Hewitt-Trussville 2-1 on Thursday.
TRACK AND FIELD
The Hoover and Spain Park track and field teams competed over the weekend at the Mountain Brook Invitational. The Bucs won the boys team title, while the Jags took third. On the girls side, Hoover finished second and Spain Park finished 12th.
Kennon Johnson, LJ Hill and Jonathan Martin all won events for the Hoover boys. Johnson placed first in the 110-meter hurdles in 15.26 seconds; Hill, who placed second in the 110 hurdles, won the triple jump with a leap of 46 feet, 11.5 inches; and Martin won the 200 meters in 21.67 seconds.
Josh Wallace was the only Spain Park athlete to win an event. He captured the javelin title with a heave of 192-9.25. Hoover’s Anna Kay Clark won the girls javelin at 117-07.
— What else would you like to see mentioned? For any suggestions, feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnespublishing.com.
