By Kyle Parmley
TRUSSVILLE — Local baseball teams got a moisture-free weekend to play multiple games Friday and Saturday, an occurrence that has come far too little in the early portions of the season.
Hewitt-Trussville (7-1) hosted the Varsity Baseball Challenge after deciding against traveling to Mississippi. The Huskies defeated Helena 4-0 on Friday night before taking on Bob Jones in a doubleheader Saturday.
The Huskies’ bats took a while to get going, but a strong performance from freshman pitcher Carson Skipper propelled them to a 2-1 victory in the first game. Skipper pitched a complete game, scattering six hits with the lone run. Cyle Moore’s RBI double in the sixth inning tied the game at 1 and Ed Johnson walked things off with a run-scoring single.
Hewitt-Trussville got things going quickly in the latter game, scoring five runs in the third inning, as the Huskies coasted to a 9-0 win over the Patriots. Ethan Defnall led the Huskies with three RBIs and Tyler Tolbert knocked in a pair himself. Bradley Huffstutler went the distance in a game that was shortened to five innings.
Clay-Chalkville (3-7) had a different degree of success, struggling throughout the weekend and dropping three of the four games it played. The Cougars wrapped up the Jefferson County Tournament on Friday and made the trip to Oxford on Saturday.
Clay-Chalkville senior pitcher Matthew Calvert
file photo by Ron Burkett
The Cougars completed their game against Hueytown that was suspended due to rain with Hueytown leading 1-0. When play resumed, Clay-Chalkville brought across three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead. But after the leadoff batter was retired in the top of the seventh, Hueytown scored six runs before another out was recorded, as it went on to win 7-3.
Clay-Chalkville faced off against Oak Grove immediately following, and beat the Tigers soundly, 11-0, in a game that only needed five innings. Colton Friday toed the rubber and only allowed one hit in the shutout. Andrew Blount had a solid game, with three RBIs. Jalen Buckner knocked in a pair of runs as well.
A great game was the result of the Cougars’ first game Saturday, as they fell 6-5 to Central-Phenix City in nine innings. Clay-Chalkville scored two runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 5, and Chandler Parker put forth a yeoman’s effort, pitching all 8 2/3 innings before surrendering the winning run. Matthew Calvert and Wesley Meier each rapped three hits in the game.
In the second game, Clay-Chalkville fell to Oxford 8-1. Tyler Duke and Jeremy Rhodes each produced two hits, and Dayne Edwards knocked in the lone run of the game. Calvert took the loss, but struck out seven.
Pinson Valley (7-5) has now won four of its last five games thanks to a solid showing over the weekend. The Indians faced off against Hueytown due to its win over Clay-Chalkville to wrap up county tournament play, and lost a close one, 3-2, on Friday.
The Indians picked up a pair of convincing victories Saturday, as Boaz and Albertville traveled to Pinson. Raul Tafoya made multiple great plays against Boaz in the 6-0 win, notching a pair of assists from right field along with a diving catch. Hunter Davidson threw a complete game in the effort.
Albertville was no match for Pinson Valley either, as the game ended in the sixth inning when the Indians went ahead 13-3. Shelton Clevenger got the start and pitched well, before coming out due to an injury.
