It’s officially springtime for the Alabama High School Athletic Association as baseball and softball teams got their seasons underway on Thursday. If the past is our guide, watch for some of the coldest temperatures of the year as umpires bark out “Play ball!”
The action, though, will be warming up like it did on the baseball diamond at Spanish Fort on Thursday. St. Paul’s catcher John Stowers, an Auburn University signee, smacked a pair of home runs and drove in 4 runs as the Saints routed the Toros 12-2 to open the season.
Stowers finished 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored and a walk for the Saints, who were Class 5A state runners-up last season. Evan Hawarah went 4-for-5 with 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored at the top of the order.
Tate Farrell got the win on the mound, pitching 5.2 innings and allowing 2 runs on 3 hits. He struck out 7. Ross Delaney got the final out.
Starter Coy Nance took the loss for Spanish Fort, giving up 6 earned runs on 7 hits in 3.2 innings. He walked 4.
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Brayden Bound hit a solo homer for the Toros. He was the only player with more than 1 hit.
In other spring sports action from across the state this week:
BASEBALL
Homewood 7, Leeds 2: The Patriots opened the season at home on Thursday, pulling away from Leeds in the bottom of the fifth inning. Leading 3-2, Homewood got 3 runs in the fifth with the big blow coming from a 2-run double by senior Ben Roberts. The Northwest Shoals Community College signee drove in Auburn signee Levi Nickoli and Cooper Sain, who had both reached on singles.
Roberts was also the winning pitcher for the Patriots, allowing 2 unearned runs on 2 hits with a strikeout and a walk. Senior Sims Young threw 2 innings in relief, his first outing after missing last season due to Tommy John surgery. He gave up 2 hits with 3 strikeouts and a walk. Junior Chappy Chapleau threw a perfect seventh inning with a pair of strikeouts.
Sain had 2 hits, including a triple and an RBI for Homewood. Nickoli had a hit with 2 runs scored and 4 stolen bases. William Tanner had an RBI single and George Brockwell singled and had 2 RBIs. Calhoun Community College signee Jack Bland had a double.
Cottage Hill 12, Davidson 0: Junior Max Hipp pitched 4 shutout innings with 7 strikeouts to help Cottage Hill to the big season-opening win at Davidson on Thursday. Hipp gave up 2 hits and walked 2. Freshman Finn Kirkwood threw struck out 5 in 2 innings of no-hit relief.
Center fielder Ethan Womble went 3-for-3 with an RBI for the winners. Carter Stinson went 2-for-3, Kirkwood was 3-for-4 and Preston Munger went 2-for-4. Ben Seale and eighth-grade pinch-hitter Ty Lomax had 2 RBIs each.
Prattville 10, Spain Park 7: The Lions scored 3 runs in the bottom of the first, added another in the second and pulled away with 4 in the fifth and 2 in the sixth in the home win over Spain Park on Thursday. Starter Andrew Kincaid picked up the win, allowing a hit over 3 scoreless innings with 3 strikeouts and 2 walks. He was one of five pitchers on the day for Prattville.
Starter James Holmes took the loss for Spain Park, giving up 4 earned runs on 7 hits with a strikeout over 3.1 innings.
Christian Alexander had a triple in 3 at-bats for Prattville. Cleanup batter Aiden Urnis was 3-for-3 with a double and Holt Stovall had a double.
Evan Taylor was 2-for-4 with a double for Spain Park. Brodie Bragg went 2-for-2. Slade Bounds went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored.
Auburn 10, Valdosta (Ga.) 5: Carter Chambley smacked a pair of home runs as the Tigers whipped Valdosta, Ga., on the road on Thursday. Auburn scored 5 runs on 6 hits to put the game away in the top of the fourth inning.
Antwane Daniels and Angelo Santiago drove in a run each with a single and Chambly drove in a pair of runs with his second homer – his first also drove in 2 runs in the second inning. The Tigers also scored a run on an error.
Starter Graham Hare picked up the win for Auburn, giving up 3 runs – 2 earned – on 3 hits over 4 innings. He had 5 strikeouts and did not walk a batter.
Auburn had 13 hits with Santiago and Chambley collecting 3 each. Santiago also had 2 stolen bases.
Brooks Carter took the loss, allowing 10 runs – 9 earned – on 12 hits with a strikeout.
Andalusia 5, Montgomery Academy 4: The Bulldogs scored 2 runs in the fourth and fifth innings and got what proved to be the game-winning run in the sixth at Montgomery Academy on Thursday. The Eagles scored single runs in the third and fourth innings and answered Andalusia with 2 runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Hamp Clanton picked up the win in relief of starter Brock Bennett. Clanton went 2 innings, allowing a run on no hits with 3 strikeouts and 4 walks. Bennett struck out 3 and walked 3 in 3 innings, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits. He also had a triple and an RBI for the Bulldogs.
Asher Bentley and Kielan Davis had doubles in the win.
Reid McBride threw 3 shutout innings and struck out 7 for Montgomery Academy. Hays Marks went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, Hudson Bradshaw was 2-for-3 with 2 doubles and William Marks had an RBI.
Brewbaker Tech 8, LAMP 2: The Rams fell behind 1-0 in the top of the third inning in their home opener against LAMP, but Brewbaker Tech’s offense exploded for 4 runs in the bottom of the third and added 4 more in the fourth to put the game away.
Taylor Stiner was 2-for-3 with a double and 2 runs scored, leadoff hitter Christopher Lewis had a triple and Myles Bryant drove in a run for Brewbaker.
Xavier Manigault struck out 10 LAMP batters, giving up a run on 3 hits over 5 innings. He did not walk a batter.
Ariton 22, Zion Chapel 1: The Rebels blasted visiting Zion Chapel on Thursday, jumping to a 6-1 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Ariton added 5 runs in the second, 7 in the third and 4 in the fourth of the five-inning contest. The winners pounded out 17 hits and took advantage of 5 Zion Chapel errors and finished with 8 stolen bases.
Addison Senn went 3-for-3 with 2 runs scored and picked up an RBI, Wells Ganey homered in 2 at-bats with 3 runs scored and 2 RBIs. Easton Kilpatrick was 2-for-2 with 3 runs and 3 RBIs.
Ridge Hicks earned the win, giving up a run on 3 hits with 2 strikeouts.
Dylan Davis was saddled with the loss, allowing 10 runs – 5 earned – on 4 hits with 5 walks in 1.2 innings.
GIRLS SOCCER
Sparkman 3, Westminster Christian 0: The ninth-ranked Class 7A Senators blanked three-time defending state champion Westminster Christian on the road on Tuesday. No. 5 Westminster was the Class 5A champ last season and won the 4A title in 2023 and 2024.
Tuesday’s game was scoreless until the 39th minute when Lauren Banks lifted a shot over the Wildcats goalkeeper and into the corner of the net giving the 4-2-1 Senators a 1- 0 halftime lead. Genevieve Bratton scored on a runout past the Wildcat defense and a corner kick goal from Virginia Speaks to put the game away in 72nd minute.
Westminster is 0-1 and will play in the Lakeshore Shootout in Pelham this weekend, taking on 6A top-ranked Homewood on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and 5A Indian Springs at 8:30. On Saturday, the Wildcats will play 6A Hartselle at 12:30 p.m.
Carver-Birmingham 1, McAdory 1: America Ramos scored her sixth goal of the season for Carver in the stalemate with McAdory on Tuesday.
Carver-Birmingham 2, Fultondale 0: Katherin Mendez and Dayanni Vergara scored goals for the Rams in the Saturday win over Fultondale. It was the fourth goal of the season for both.
Shades Valley 5, Gardendale 0: The Mounties blanked Gardendale at home on Tuesday. Vivian Devine scored on an unassisted shot for Shades Valley to open the scoring. Abbey Nelson scored off a rebound and got 2 assists on goals by Kim Villa Acosta and Lola McElroy. Evelyn Murphree scored on a 34-yard shot to wrap up the scoring for Shades Valley.
G.W. Long 7, Highland Home 0: The Rebels got a pair of hat tricks in a Friday win at Highland Home. Bea Anderson and Jordan Jacobs accounted for 6 of G.W. Long’s goals in the runaway. Gracie Davis scored a goal and had 2 assists. Bella Rhodehouse and Emma Buckland also had an assist in the win.
Montgomery Academy 4, Trinity 0: The Eagles blanked city rival Trinity with Ella Harding Pemberton scoring a pair of goals. Tara Samant and Lucy Hubbard had a goal apiece for Montgomery Academy. Cara Jade Hall had 2 assists with Hubbard and Suzanne Holmes picking up 1 each.
BOYS SOCCER
Southside 1 (4), Randolph 1 (2): The eighth-ranked Class 6A Panthers captured the Rainbow City Classic championship with the 4-2 penalty kick win over Randolph. Southside finished the event 4-0, with a 2-0 win over Cherokee County, a 2-1 win over 1A/3A No. 1 Collinsville and a 1-0 win over Scottsboro.
In the championship, Cooper Yancey scored off an assist from Carter Crain and Aaron Herrera had 6 saves. Crain, Yancey, Barrett Lindsey and Dylan Ayala made penalty kicks for the Panthers. Herrera had a pair of saves.
Trek Gardner and Yancy scored goals in the win over Collinsville. Gardner had an assist and Herrera had 5 saves.
Braxton Farmer and Alex Melo scored goals in the 2-0 win over Cherokee County. Brock Wakefield picked up the shutout in goal with 4 saves.
Against Scottsboro, Noah Harrison scored on a header off Gardner’s corner kick in the 45th minute to give the Panthers the win. Herrera had 7 saves for Southside in its season-opener.
Gardendale 10, Shades Valley 0: Senior Wyatt Chandler scored 3 goals – giving him 101 in his career – to lead the sixth-ranked Class 6A Rockets over Shades Valley at home on Tuesday. Chandler became the 29th Alabama High School Athletic Association boys soccer player to reach 100 career goals and the first from a Jefferson County public school.
Senior Mason Harris had his first career hat trick for Gardendale, while Steven Castro, Mikey Pribyl and Steven Moody also scored goals. Goalkeeper Connor Thomas earned the shutout. Gardendale’s 10th goal was an own goal.
Gardendale 3, Altamont 0: The Rockets improved to 6-0 on the season with a home win over Altamont on Thursday. Mikey Pribyl, Zion Allen and Steven Castro scored goals for Gardendale, and goalkeeper Connor Thomas earned the shutout.
Gardendale 4, Tuscaloosa County 2: On Friday, the Rockets got a pair of goals from Mikey Pribyl in the road win at Tuscaloosa County. Logan Stewart and Connor Ma scored a goal apiece for Gardendale.
Hartselle 1, Muscle Shoals 1: Hartselle’s Rhett Spivey scored the equalizer in the second half at Muscle Shoals on Tuesday. Walter Jackson scored on a penalty kick in the opening half for the home team. Simeon Little had 7 saves for Muscle Shoals.
G.W. Long 7, Highland Home 0: The visiting Rebels rolled over Highland Home on Friday as Mason Foote and Nate McLean scored a pair of goals apiece. Ben Campbell, Matthew Pritchett and Hudson Williams also scored a goal in G.W. Long’s win. Foote, Williams and Henry Carter had an assist each and Pritchett finished with 2. Keeper Mason Burkett had 2 saves on the day.
Marbury 5, BTW-Magnet 0: The Bulldogs blanked Booker T. Washington Magnet of Montgomery at home on Tuesday, led by Ryan Lavender’s two goals. Emmanuel Caceres got Marbury on the board with a goal in the 20th minute before Lavender got the next two. Alex Brown scored in the 72nd minute and Timmy Pina closed out the scoring in the 85th minute. Wyatt McGinty earned the clean sheet in goal.
Vestavia Hills 5, Montgomery Academy 1: The Rebels scored on a pair of penalty kicks in the first half on the way to the win at Montgomery Academy on Thursday.
Brody Watrous scored off an assist from Jacob Stubblefield for Montgomery Academy. Grady Ming had 14 saves in goal for the Eagles.
SOFTBALL
Dothan 9, Rehobeth 5: The Wolves opened the season with the home win over Rehobeth on Thursday. Winning pitcher Jada Newman struck out 7 and went 2-for-3 with a home run and 2 RBIs for Dothan.
Brantlee McCarthy, Makenna Descalzi and Savanna Kendrick all doubled in the win. Descalzi was 2-for-4 and Kendrick and Kolbi Hall drove in 2 runs apiece.
Newman gave up 4 runs on 5 hits in 5 innings. She walked 3 in the win.
Lacey Orgeron took the loss for Rehobeth, allowing 4 runs – 3 earned – on 5 hits with 4 strikeouts and no walks over 3 innings. Brooke Nowlin had a pair of RBIs and a double. Payten Roland and Shelby Davis had a pair of hits apiece.
GIRLS TENNIS
Montgomery Academy 9, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa 0: Junior varsity eighth grader Fiona Pollard stepped in at No. 6 singles and No. 3 doubles to help Montgomery Academy to the sweep of Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa on Tuesday. Lola Campbell defeated Aisley Chapman 8-4 in No. 1 singles, No. 2 Alyssa Kaplan def. EK Hamner 8-0, No. 3 Mary Surhea White def. Emmi Farley 8-3, No. 4 Charlotte Vann def. Lyla Wright 8-3, No. 5 Lillian Cameron def. Sophie Ferguson 8-3 and No. 6 Pollard def. Phoebe Lin 8-2. In doubles, No. 1 Campbell-Kaplan def. Chapman-Farley 8-2, No. 2 White-Vann def. Wright-Hamner 8-0 and Cameron-Pollard def. Ferguson-Chloe Lin 8-5.
BOYS TENNIS
Montgomery Academy 7, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa 2: Jackson Brown became the winningest player in Montgomery Academy history in the home win on Tuesday. Brown came into the match with 207 career wins in singles and doubles – tied with John Alford and Brett Ialacci. Other singles winners for the Eagles were Liam Baker, Duncan McInnis, Ford Morano, Anton Yang and Bo Johnston. Anton Yang and Bo Johnston were winners in doubles play.
McGill-Toolen 5, Montgomery Academy 4: McGill-Toolen handed the Eagles their first loss in seven matches this season. Montgomery Academy winners in singles were Duncan McInnis, Anton Yang and Bo Johnston. Yang and Johnston picked up a win in doubles.
Jimmy Lay contributed to this report. Some information is from GameChanger Media.
Editor’s Note: To report highlights to AL.com, please email preps@al.com following your games. Reports must come from coaches or team statisticians and no later than 10 a.m. on Tuesday and Friday.