North Sand Mountian, North Jackson Advance to Round Two of Playoffs

By Cinthia Rico
HIGDON – North Sand Mountain swept the double-header against Holly Pond during the first round of the AHSAA Class 2A Baseball playoffs Thursday (April 18) evening.

North Sand Mountain won the first game 10-0 in six innings and defeated the Broncos 7-3 in the second game to complete the sweep.

The Bison (21-9) take on Red Bay (17-6) on Friday (April 26) in the second round.

Game One
Luke Reed led North Sand Mountain in the winning circle, giving up three hits and no runs over six innings while striking out nine.

The Bison scored in the bottom of the first 1-0 thanks to a double by Mike Poss.

In the second, a pitch hit Jackson Burgess, Luke Reed hit into a fielder’s choice, and Landon Keller singled, each of them scoring a run to give North Sand Mountain a 4-0 lead.

The Bison added some cushion in the next four innings, recording six runs. Kolten Copper singled, K Moore scored, Moore doubled, and Luke Reed and Lansdon Keller scored.

At the bottom of the fifth, North Sand Mountain put the game out of reach. Cooper scored on a Jackson Burgess sacrifice fly, Reed singled, and Brayton Johnson scored.

With three hits in four at-bats, Keller led the Bison in hits. Burgess, Moore, and Reed each had two RBIs.

Game Two
Carson Harvey led North Sand Mountain in the winning circle, surrendering two hits and no runs over three and one-third innings while striking out four.

With a double in the seventh that scored three runs and a single in the sixth that scored one, Kaden Moore led the Bison with four runs scored on two hits.

In the third inning, Brayton Johnson singled and Jackson Burgess doubled, each scoring one run, setting up North Sand’s offensive assault.

The Bison were led at the plate by Hayden Smith and Moore, who each collected two hits in the 7-3 win over the Broncos.

Class 4A
JACKSONVILLE – The Chiefs swept the double-header against the Golden Eagles during the first round of the AHSAA Class 4A Baseball playoffs Friday (April 19) evening.

North Jackson won the first game 10-1 in eight innings and defeated Jacksonville 12-9 in the second game to complete the sweep.

The Chiefs (26-7) play Haleyville (17-9) in this Friday’s second-round matchup.

Game One
Carson Smith earned the win for North Jackson on the bump, allowing three hits and one run over six innings while striking out seven.

The Chiefs tied the game at one in the top of the second inning thanks to a single by Logan Shoemaker on the sixth pitch of the at-bat.

North Jackson took the lead in the third thanks to a seven-run surge. Nick Jernagin’s homer to left field, Blake Mathews, Cayden Wynne, and Carson scored.

A few plays later, CJ Gulley drew a walk, Burnett scored, and Logan Shoemaker then scored on a wild pitch. Brody Caraway drew a walk, and John Ducar induced Mathews to hit into fielder’s choice; Linderman scored.

In the 10-1 win over the Golden Eagles, Jernagin hit a homer and drove in five runs on two hits.

With two hits apiece from Smith, Burnett, Wynne, and Jernagin, the Chiefs totaled over ten hits.

Game Two
Cayden Wynne earned the win on the hill for North Jackson, allowing four hits and four runs over five innings and striking out eight in the 12-9 victory over Jacksonville.

The Chiefs built some separation in the bottom of the fourth behind a six-run inning. Burnett scored on a wild pitch, and Cayden Wynne doubled after a 6-pitch at-bat driving in Linderman and Brody Caraway.

Following Conner Reed’s score, Mathews’ wild pitch score and Shoemaker’s pitch hit, North Jackson took a 7-4 lead in the next series.

The Chiefs solidified their win by scoring five runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth, which included a CJ Gulley groundout, a Cayden Wynne walk, a Carson Smith single, and a Nick Jernagin groundout.

Leading the Chiefs, Wynne went 1-for-3, and Smith finished with two hits in three at bat.