Photo by Erin Nelson. Starnes Media
Hoover’s Brewer Smith (28) pitches in a game against Vestavia Hills at the Hoover High School baseball field on Wednesday, March 9, 2022. 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, go here.
BASEBALL
The Spain Park baseball team earned a win last Wednesday, beating Thompson 7-3. Evan Smallwood paced the Jags offense with a pair of hits and 2 runs batted in. Michael Glick tallied 3 singles and knocked in a run as well. James Battersby notched 2 hits and an RBI, and threw 3 scoreless innings on the mound. Ryan Cole and Clay Spencer each registered an RBI, while starting pitcher Jake Majors went 4 innings, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits.
Hoover held teacher appreciation night Wednesday and celebrated by beating Vestavia Hills 7-2. Cade Carr went deep for the Bucs, driving in 3 runs on the night. Andrew Batson jumpstarted the offense from the leadoff spot, going 2-for-3 with a triple and 2 RBIs. Lucas Steele and Carter Milliron each tallied 2 hits and an RBI as well. Brewer Smith got the start for Hoover, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits in 5 1/3 innings. Colin Rengering finished things off with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless ball. For Vestavia Hills, William Peerson and John Paul Head drove in the runs. Ryan Vermillion pitched well in the start, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits in 5 innings of work.
Hoover held a Military Appreciation Night on Thursday and beat Helena 6-3. Hess Fridley led the Hoover offense with a pair of RBIs. RJ Hamilton and Conner Prothro notched 2 hits and an RBI, while Clayton Wallace and Luke McNeill drove in a run each as well. Jack Campbell earned the win on the mound, going 5 innings and allowing 2 runs on 5 hits with 6 strikeouts. Sam Schmidt got the save by throwing the final 2 innings without allowing a hit and striking out 4 batters.
Spain Park split a pair of games on Friday, beating Gulf Shores 5-1 before falling to Auburn 11-1. In the win, Evan Smallwood, Cole Edwards, Battersby, Spencer and Ward Hunter each knocked in a run for the offense. JR Thompson got the start, going 6 innings and allowing an unearned run on 2 hits to go with 7 strikeouts. Edwards drove in the Jags’ lone run in the loss.
Hoover beat Hazel Green 9-2 on Friday as well. Rengering went 3-for-4 with a double and 3 RBIs to lead the offense, while McNeill was 2-for-2 with a double and 2 RBIs. Hamilton also knocked in 2 runs, while Steele and Prothro each drove in a run as well. Tyler Wilson got the start on the mound, throwing 5 scoreless innings and allowing just 3 hits.
SOFTBALL
The Spain Park softball team began play last week with a 2-1 win over Gardendale on Monday. Maggie Daniel’s walk-off sacrifice fly lifted the Jaguars to the win in a low-scoring pitchers’ duel. Katie Flannery notched 3 hits in the game, including a double, a run batted in and a stolen base. Ella Reed was electric in the circle, allowing a single hit and an unearned run to go with 7 strikeouts in her complete game effort. Natalie Snow pitched well for Gardendale as well, going 6 1/3 innings and allowing 2 runs on 9 hits.
Hoover held an alumni night Wednesday, honoring the 1997 state championship team. But the Bucs fell to Austin that night, 3-2, in a low-scoring affair. Austin’s Katie Bracken hit a two-run home run in the first inning and pitched the complete game, striking out 11 and allowing 2 runs on 2 hits over her 7 innings. Gracie Hillman and Campbell Hecklinski each knocked in a run to supply Hoover’s offense. Emily Sims and Olivia Christian pitched well for the Bucs. Sims went 4 innings and allowed only the 3 first-inning runs. Christian threw 3 scoreless frames.
Spain Park traveled to Bob Jones on Wednesday to play a game in honor of cancer awareness. Bob Jones topped the Jags 6-3. For Spain Park, Daniel hit a home run, while Flannery drove in the Jags’ other 2 runs. Reed pitched 6 innings, striking out 10.
Hoover traveled to Brookwood on Thursday night, pulling away for a dominant 14-2 win. Kaitlyn Raines got the job done at the plate and in the circle. She hit a homer and drove in a pair of runs, while allowing 2 runs on 4 hits in 4 innings pitched. Campbell Hecklinski was 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs and Hillman went 3-for-4 with an RBI and 4 runs scored. Bella Foran and Carolyne Hecklinski each knocked in a run as well.
Spain Park hosted the Jag Classic over the weekend, winning all of its games. On Friday, the Jags got things started with a pair of dominant wins, 11-0 over Homewood and 15-0 over Pike Road. In the Homewood win, Bennett, Daniel and Flannery each homered. Daniel ended up with 6 RBIs in the game, Bennett had 3 and Flannery finished with 2. Hawkins racked up a pair of hits and 3 runs, while Caroline Whisenhunt pitched 6 scoreless innings.
Bennett homered again in the Pike Road win, Kyndal Heaton drove in 3 runs and Flannery drove in a pair. Emma Jolley, Blakley Watts and Morgan Jolley each knocked in a run as well. Katherine Brown pitched the no-hit shutout over 4 innings.
Spain Park beat Randolph County 7-4 and defeated McAdory 7-2 to finish off the Jag Classic on a chilly Saturday. In the Randolph County win, Daniel went 3-for-3 with 2 doubles, a home run and 2 RBIs. Hawkins and Bennett each drove in a run, while Emma Jolley went 2-for-2 with 3 runs and 2 stolen bases. In the McAdory win, Flannery notched 3 hits and 3 RBIs, while Bennett had a double and 2 RBIs. Reed was sharp, allowing 2 runs (1 earned) on 5 hits in 5 innings of work.
SOCCER
The Spain Park boys soccer team suffered a 2-0 defeat to Westminster-Oak Mountain last Wednesday night.
Both Hoover teams were in action on Friday, with the boys falling to Thompson 1-0 and the girls losing to Thompson 3-2. Spain Park’s boys finished in a 0-0 draw with Briarwood as well.
GOLF
The Spain Park girls golf team won the Hoover March Madness tournament last week. Taylor Trible received all-tournament honors to lead the team. Hoover hosted the event and finished seventh.
TENNIS
The Hoover girls tennis team picked up a 9-0 win over Oak Mountain last Thursday. The afternoon started with singles matches, where every player had an impressive win, with No. 4 Abby Gobbels and No. 6 Rachel Yuan winning their matches 8-0. All doubles teams brought in wins as well, keeping opponents to a score of 8-2 or 8-1. Other singles winners were No. 1 Laci Pyron, No. 2 Chinonye Mbanugo, No. 3 Kristina Hwangpo and No. 5 Sowmya Suresh.
— What else would you like to see mentioned? For any suggestions, feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnesmedia.com.
