PREP BASEBALL TOURNAMENT REWIND
COUNTY CHAMPS
North Jackson Fends Off North Sand Mountain 3-0 to Secure 7th Straight County Title
By Cinthia Rico
SKYLINE – The 2024 Jackson County Varsity Baseball Tournament kicked off Monday, Mar. 11 evening at Skyline High School.
The North Jackson Chiefs are Jackson County Tournament Champions for the seventh consecutive season. The Chiefs edged North Sand Mountain in the championship game to secure this year’s county title.
Carson Smith got the start for North Jackson on the mound, striking out 13 batters and giving up only one hit and zero runs over seven innings.
Smith got things moving for the Chiefs, going 2-for-2 at the plate and singling in the third, scoring one run.
North Jackson’s Carson Smith hits a homer in Tuesday’s game against Pisgah.
Following a no-run two-inning, North Jackson’s Nick Jernagin and Burnett crossed the home plate at the bottom of the six for a 3-0 advantage.
The Chiefs returned home with the county title for the seventh straight season, following a tough battle against the Bison.
Luke Reed took the loss for North Sand Mountain on the hill, allowing three runs on six hits, striking out 10, and walking three over five and two-thirds innings.
Reed also went 1-for-1 at the plate to lead the Bison in hits.
North Jackson 12, Pisgah 0
Earlier in the tourney, North Jackson shut out No. 5-seeded Pisgah behind an explosive 11 runs in the first inning.
After drawing a walk, Nick Jernagin, Bodie Burnett, Johnathon Linderman, and CJ Gulley scored one run each, while Drew Davis and Blake Mathews singled, scoring a run each for the Chiefs.
North Jackson’s Carson Smith hit a three-run home run at the bottom of the first to defeat the Eagles.
Jonathan Linderman earned the win for the Chiefs on the hill, allowing three hits and no runs over five innings, while striking out four and walking one.
The two-day tournament began with the No.3-seed Section taking on No. 6 Woodville on Monday.
The Lions overpowered the Panthers 15-1, advancing to the next tournament round.
Section tallied 10 runs on four hits in the bottom of the second to secure their win. Among the scorers were Luke Swinford, Landon Vaughn, Preston Dover, Josh Moore, and Jacob Stringer.
Swinford went 2-for-2 at the plate, and Dover led the Lions with two runs at bat.
At the top of the second, Woodville’s Sam Peek stole home for the Panthers’ lone score of the game.
On Tuesday, No. 4 Skyline and No. 5 Pisgah gave spectators a show as the two teams battled for 10 innings for a chance to advance.
The Eagles edged the Vikings 19-15, advancing to face top-seeded North Jackson.
Will Gates got things started on the hill for Skyline, surrendering four hits and five runs over four innings while striking out three and walking three.
Ross Smith led the Eagles on the mound, surrendering one hit and two runs over two innings while striking out three and walking one.
In this heavy-hitting matchup, Skyline tallied 13 hits that included four runs from Guest, three from Kennamer, two from J Guest, and one from Guthrie, Potts, Gates, Olinger, Utter, and Cloud.
Pisgah tallied 22 hits, which included runs from Kirby, Smalley, Gass, Jenkins, Mays, Arnold, Hutson, and Williams.
North Sand Mountain 10, Section 2
The North Sand Mountain Bison overpowered the Section Lions 10-2 later that night to advance to the championship round.
Carson Harvey earned the win for Bison on the hill, surrendering no hits or runs over two and two-thirds innings while striking out six and walking one. Kaden Moore pitched three innings in relief, allowing four hits and two runs while striking out six and walking one.
Burgess, Moore, and Stiles each added two runs, while Reed, Johnson, Keller, and Neil each added one for North Sand Mountain.
Aiden Thomas took the loss for the Lions, giving up three runs on one hit, striking out six, and walking three. Thomas also led Section in hits, going 2-for-4 at the plate.
North Jackson Press (NJP) is your trusted source for weekly hometown news, serving the vibrant communities of DeKalb and Jackson Counties in the heart of Alabama. We're here to bring you the latest stories, events, and happenings, all available conveniently both online and in print.
At NJP, we believe that community engagement is essential. We want to hear from you, our valued readers! Share your opinions, insights, and thoughts on our articles by adding a comment below each story. Your perspective matters, and your comments contribute to the rich tapestry of discussions in our community.
Together, we can foster meaningful conversations and build a stronger sense of community. Join us in shaping the narrative of DeKalb and Jackson Counties. Your voice is important, and we look forward to reading your comments. Let's make our community news a truly interactive experience!
Have a story idea or a topic you'd like to see covered? Feel free to suggest it in the comments or reach out to our dedicated team. We're here to serve you, and your feedback helps us tailor our content to your interests and needs.
