Alabama Daily Roundup: February 27th
February 28, 2021
The Alabama Scouting Staff was in out in full force on Saturday, February 27th in the state of Alabama. We had eyes all across state, covering games in Oxford, Mobile, and Birmingham throughout the course of the day. Check out the game summaries for each of these contests below..
6A No. 4 Oxford (6) vs. 6A Mountain Brook (5)
Choccolocco Park | Oxford, AL
Oxford, AL - Signature Field at Choccolocco Park featured some big time games on Saturday, February 27th. Some talented teams gathered at the beautiful complex to play each other, and these teams had players who had big days. The 11:30 game at Signature Field featured 6A No. 4 Oxford HS and 6A Mountain Brook, who were both off to strong starts to the 2021 season. The Yellow Jackets gave the ball to RHP Trey Mooney (No. 65, 2022, Montevallo), and the Spartan countered with RHP Howell Polk (2022) for their first game in Oxford, AL.
Mountain Brook wasted no time getting on the board in the top of the 1st. After a leadoff walk and a single from OF Patch Lyman (No. 185, 2022), the Spartans took advantage of a costly error by the Yellow Jacket shortstop with two outs that allowed the two runners to come home from scoring position to take a 2-0 lead after a ½ inning.
The two teams traded zeros for the next two frames, until the Yellow Jackets were able to answer back in the bottom of the 2nd and tie things up. After a single by 1B Hayes Harrison (No. 57, 2023) and a walk, OF Chance Griner (No. 92, 2022) smoked a fastball into the LCF gap that scored a run for Oxford. In the next at-bat, RHP Trey Mooney was able to help out his own cause and score a run on a RBI sacrifice fly to knot things up at 2-2 heading to the 3rd.
After a scoreless 3rd inning, Mountain Brook fought back and retook the lead with two more runs of their own. The Spartans showed excellent plate discipline in this inning, and scored their runs on a bases loaded walk and a balk on the next at-bat to jump ahead 4-2 once again.
After doubling in his first at-bat to right field, OF Trey Higgins (No. 10, 2021, Mississippi State) came up big again fo the Yellow Jackets with a RBI single to left field that scored a runner who reached on a leadoff walk. This cut the Spartan lead in half to 4-3 heading to the 6th.
One hitter that played a big role for the Spartans consistently throughout the day was OF Patch Lyman (No. 185, 2022), who recorded another RBI single in the 6th. After the first hitter of the inning reached on an error, Lyman lined a slider back up the middle to score the runner from 2nd base to push the Mountain Brook lead to 5-3.
With the Yellow Jackets down to their last three outs in the bottom of the 7th, Oxford showed excellent resiliency by fighting back to eventually win the game. After a walk, hit-by-pitch, and a pinch-hit double down the left field line from 1B Wesley Miller (No. 104, 2022) to load the bases, OF Trey Higgins (No. 10, 2021, Mississippi State) reached out a RBI infield single to cut the lead to 5-4 with bases loaded and no outs. Oxford was able to tie the game at 5-5 on a bases loaded walk from 3B Miguel Mitchell (2022) on the next at-bat. In the next at-bat, 2B Carter Johnson (No. 26, 2024) delivered with the game on the line, as he hit a ground ball to the left of the 3rd baseman that allowed the runner from the 3rd to beat the throw to the plate to give the Yellow Jackets the win 6-5 in the bottom of the 7th.
Top Performers - Oxford
OF Trey Higgins - 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI’s
OF Chance Griner - 1-2, 2B, BB
SS Sam Robertson - 1-1, 2 R’s, 3 HBP’s, SB
LHP Hayden Gallahar - W, 3.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB,
Top Performers - Mountain Brook
OF Patch Lyman - 2-2, RBI, R, 2 BB’s
OF Gabriel Young - 1B, RBI, 2 BB’s
6A Chilton County (4) vs. 6A No. 4 Oxford (2)
Choccolocco Park | Oxford, AL
Oxford, AL - The last game of the day at Signature Field at Choccolocco Park featured some excellent starting pitching from both teams. 6A Chilton County improved to 6-1 on the year defeating 6A No. 4 Oxford 4-2. LHP Pico Kohn (No. 2, 2021, Mississippi State) started on the mound and went the distance for the Tigers, while RHP Carter Johnson (No. 26, 2024) was brilliant for most of his outing.
The Yellow Jackets jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, thanks to a big hit from SS Sam Robertson (No. 6, 2023). After the leadoff hitter in the 1st reached on an error by the 3rd baseman, Robertson worked the count to two strikes vs. Kohn, and finally got a pitch that he could handle and served it into the LCF gap for a RBI triple. Robertson drove in another run in the 3rd inning on a single into “no man’s land” behind 3rd base to extend the Oxford lead to 2-0 after 3 innings.
The Tigers would finally get on the board in the top of the 5th. After a hit-by-pitch and a sacrifice bunt, the Oxford shortstop made a costly error that allowed the runner from 2nd base to come around to score and cut the lead to 2-1.
Chilton County finally erupted for three more runs in the top of the 6th inning and multiple hits. After a hit-by-pitch to start the inning, the Tigers recorded two straight outs until the Yellow Jackets intentionally walked the 4-hole hitter to make it 1st & 2nd with two outs down 2-1. Pico Kohn helped out his own cause, as he drove a two strike pitch to right field to plate the tying run. 1B Dylan Cullum (2021) recorded the biggest hit of the game on the next at-bat, as the senior drove a ball over the right fielder’s head to bring home two runs and take the lead 4-2 heading to the 7th.
The Yellow Jackets couldn’t get anything going offensively in the last two frames, as LHP Pico Kohn (No. 2, 2021, Mississippi State) settled into cruise control after allowing the early unearned runs. RHP Carter Johnson (No. 26. 2024) was dominant through his first 4 innings on the mound. He had faced one over the minimum after 4 innings, but ran out of gas a little bit in his final inning, and the Tigers were able to take advantage offensively. Chilton County defeated Oxford 4-2.
Top Performers - Chilton County
LHP Pico Kohn - W, 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R (0 ER), 0 BB & 8 K; 1B, RBI
DH Dylan Cullum - 2B, 2 RBI’s
Top Performers - Oxford
SS Sam Robertson - 2-2, 3B, 2 RBI’s
RHP Carter Johnson - 6 IP, 2 H, 4 R (3 ER), 2 BB & 7 K
5A No. 1 UMS-Wright (13) vs. 6A Gulf Shores (3)
Saraland High School | Saraland, AL
Saraland, AL - UMS-Wright’s LHP Maddux Bruns took the mound for Bulldogs Saturday in Saraland. Bruns fastball was consistently 96-97 and topped out at 99. With plenty of scouts present, Bruns also showed off a sharp, 12/6 breaking ball and an effective changeup.
Bruns was electric in the bottom of the first. Devin Polk singled to right field for one of his two hits off of Bruns on the day. Marc Stephens liner to right field was caught by a diving Seth Farni, who was able to throw out Polk at first to end the inning.
The top ranked Bulldogs got to Gulf Shores starter early. Trey Singleton started off the scoring with a line drive to center. Two batters later after a hit by a pitch, Jackson Bassett’s three run double down the first base line opened the flood gates and gave UMS-Wright a 5-0 lead. Bassett then scored on a fielding error to push the lead to 6-0. Ole Miss commit concluded the first inning scoring with a three-run home run. Seth Farni’s fourth home run of the season was hit through a very stiff wind over the center field wall.
Bruns struck out three Dolphin hitters in the top of the second, including a 99 mph fastball for the second strikeout. UMS-Wright added to their lead in the bottom of the second. After Trey Singleton scored on an error, Trey Weaver drove in a run to extend the lead to 11-0. After homering from the right side of the plate in the first, Seth Farni’s line drive to right field from the left side scored Trey Weaver. Cameron Snypes then singled to right bring home another run.
The Dolphins managed to score the first runs of the season off of Bruns in the top of the third. After a pair of walks, Gulf Shores Connor Roberts doubled in a run. Devin Polk’s two run single cut the lead to 13-3. The Bulldogs plated their last run on a fielding error in the fourth. Bruns cruised through the bottom of the fourth, picking up the win while throwing just 58 pitches. UMS-Wright’s Joseph Rice followed Bruns for the second week in a row, getting three ground ball outs to close out the game in five innings.
Top Performers - UMS-Wright
OF Seth Farni - 2-4, HR, 4 RBI's
SS Jackson Bassett - 1-2, 2B, 3 RBI's, R, BB
LHP Maddux Bruns - 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 BB & 6 K
Top Performers - Gulf Shores
UTL Devin Polk - 2-2, 2 RBI's
OF Connor Roberts - 2B, RBI, R
7A No. 5 Hewitt-Trussville (11) vs. 6A No. 9 Hazel Green (1)
Thompson High School | Alabaster, AL
Alabaster, AL - The Huskies and Trojans faced off as a part of a three way round robin at beautiful Thompson High School on Saturday. The Huskies used a dominant pitching performance from RHP Baker Green (No. 85, 2022) to earn an 11-1 5 inning game. Baker went all 5 innings and only allowed 3 hits and one unearned run while striking out 4 and walking 2 Trojan hitters. Hazel Green countered with RHP Will Gordon (2021) who went 2 ⅓ innings on the mound surrendering 4 hits and 5 earned runs. Gordon struck out 3 hitters and did not issue a walk.
Both teams scored in the first inning as the Huskies jumped on the board first as OF Trey Burrell (No. 82, 2021, Grambling State) scored on a groundout by 1B Jackson Holland (2021). Burrell reached base by getting hit by pitch and then promptly stole 2B and 3B. The Trojans answered in the bottom half of the inning as 3B Landon Baeder (No. 63, 2021) led off with a double off the fence in left centerfield. Baeder eventually scored on a wild pitch.
From that point on it was all Huskies as they scored 4 runs in the third inning to push the lead to 5-1. Ethan Duhon (2022) and Burrell started the inning with back to back singles as Duhon eventually scored on a passed ball. Holland had an RBI single to drive in Burell for his second RBI of the day and then he scored on a loud double off the bat of C Matt Miller (No. 97, 2022). The fourth run of the inning was driven in by Riley Quick (No. 5, 2022) as Miller scored on a single down the third base line.
The Huskies scored 5 more runs in the top half of the 5th inning and retired the Trojans in the bottom half of the frame to finish things off. A hit by pitch and two errors started the big inning for Hewitt Trussville and after Kurt Kizer (2023) delivered a run producing single, things unraveled and the Huskies finished the scoring for the 11-1 final.
Top Performers - Hewitt-Trussville
Baker Green - 5 IP, 3 hits allowed, 1 unearned run, 4 Ks, 2 BBs
Kurt Kizer - 2-3, 1 run scored, 1 RBI
Trey Burrell - 1-2, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 3 SBs
Jackson Holland - 1-4, 2 runs scored, 2 RBIs, 1 SB
Matt Miller - 1-2, 1 2B, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI
Riley Quick - 1-2, 1 RBI, 1 SB
Ethan Duhon - 1-3, 1 2B, 2 runs scored
Top Performers - Hazel Green
Connor Ford - 1 ⅔ IP, 2 hits allowed, 0 runs, 1 K
Landon Baeder - 1-3, 1 2B, 1 run scored
Blake Hall - 2-2, 1 2B
6A No. 5 Chelsea (6) vs. 7A No. 6 Oak Mountain (4)
Oak Mountain High School | Birmingham, AL
Birmingham, AL - A premier matchup between two high quality teams wrapped up a busy Saturday on the diamond at Oak Mountain High School. Chelsea scored three runs in the top of the 7th inning to escape with a 6-4 victory but this was a classic matchup of quality pitching on both sides and hitters that seemed to make every pitch difficult for the guys on the mound. The Hornets sent LHP Connor Ball (No. 46, 2021, University of Alabama) to the mound and the southpaw delivered his typical quality start. Ball went 3 ⅔ innings on the mound and allowed 5 hits and 4 earned runs. Those 4 earned runs are a credit to the Oak Mountain hitters as they showed a very disciplined approach vs. the left-hander. Ball struck out 6 and walked 5 hitters. He was relieved by RHP Andrew Floyd (No. 64, 2022) who would gain the win in 3 ⅓ innings of dominance in relief. Floyd did not allow a hit or run and did not walk anyone while striking out 6 Eagle hitters. Floyd was ultra impressive. Oak Mountain pitching was equally impressive as well as the Eagles sent RHP Connor Adams (2021, Birmingham Southern College) to the mound and the senior went 7 innings. He scattered 10 hits over those 7 innings and allowed 6 runs (4 earned) and struck out 6 and only walked 2 hitters.
The game was scoreless through the first inning and a half as the Eagles scored first in the bottom of the 2nd inning as Chapman Wallock (2022) drove in Maddox Macrory (No. 155, 2022) for the 1-0 lead. Macrory walked earlier in the inning.
The Hornets wasted no time answering back as they scored 2 runs in the top of the 3rd inning. Christian Kallaher (2022) reached on error and Reid Gongwer (No. 37, 2022, University of South Alabama) singled and both were driven in on a 2 out 2 RBI double from 1B Jackson Webster (No. 126, 2021, Birmingham Southern College) to make it 2-1. Oak Mountain quickly responded in the bottom of the 3rd as Macrory delivered a 2 out RBI single to drive in 3B Davis Gillespie (No. 9, 2022, University of Southern Mississippi) to tie things up at 2-2.
Oak Mountain pushed two runs across in the bottom of the fourth to take a 4-2 lead. OF Jake Derecki (No. 73, 2021, Northwest Florida State College) singled and later scored on a Taylor Bush (2022) double for the third run for the Eagles. Oak Mountain pushed across their fourth run of the game later in the inning on a wild pitch.
In the 5th inning, Chelsea inched closer as Webster drove in a run on an RBI groundout to make the score 4-3. The score remained the same until the top of the 7th inning as Chelsea put together a big inning and scored 3 runs for the final 6-4 margin. Kallaher doubled to start the frame and was bunted over to 3B with 1 out. SS Adam Reaves (2021) then singled to drive in the tying run. With 2 outs in the inning, Evan Jones (No. 158, 2022) singled sharply up the middle to give the Hornets the 5-4 lead. Ball then supplied an insurance run as he singled to give the Hornets the 6-4 lead. Floyd promptly went out and struck out the side in the bottom of the 7th innings to finish off the win.
Top Performers - Chelsea
Andrew Floyd - 3 ⅓ IP, 0 hits allowed, 0 runs, 6 Ks, 0 BBs
Jackson Webster - 2-3, 1 2B, 3 RBIs
Evan Jones - 2-4, 1 RBI
Connor Ball - 2-4, 1 RBI
Christian Kallaher - 2-3, 1 2B
Top Performers - Oak Mountain
Davis Gillespie - 1-2, 1 run scored, 2 BBs
Maddox Macrory - 1-2, 1 run scored, 1 RBI, 1 run scored
Jake Derecki - 1-3, 1 run scored
Taylor Bush - 1-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI
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