By Erik Harris, sports editor
GARDENDALE The Pinson Valley baseball team has dropped its opening Class 6A, Area 12 series of the season thanks to a 2-0 home loss on Tuesday followed by an 8-6 loss at Gardendale on Thursday.
Thursday’s contest went back and forth with the Rockets (11-4, 2-0) surging for three decisive runs in their half of the sixth. The three-run blow broke a 5-5 tie and ultimately gave Gardendale the series-clinching win.
Rocket center fielder CJ Bryant singled the go-ahead RBI up the middle in the sixth, sending two runs in for a 7-5 advantage. Nick Rigdon then stretched the cushion to three runs with a sacrifice fly into right-center field.
Several local baseball and softball teams were in play this weekend in non-area play.
Among a mixed bag of results, the Hewitt-Trussville and Leeds boys remained unbeaten with Saturday sweeps.
See complete game recaps below.
BASEBALL
Hewitt-Trussville 11, Hazel Green 1
They say defense travels, and it certainly did for the Hewitt-Trussville boys on Saturday, as they grabbed wins over Thompson, 4-1, and Hazel Green, 11-1.
In the opener against host Thompson, Hewitt got five innings of work from Riley Quick, who finished with nine strikeouts to score the win. Benjamin Lamons checked in to score the save with a pair of strikeouts.