Alabama Christian Finishes Week with Dominant Performance

After dropping the third game of the week on Tuesday to Goodpasture (TN) the Eagles bounced back on Wednesday and trounced Victory Christian (OK) by a score of 14-1 in four innings. ACA split their four games played over spring break.

The game started in a competitive manner as ACA scored two in the first inning and Victory responded with one in the bottom half. However, the Eagles ended any suspense in the second inning as they exploded for eight runs in the second. After the leadoff hitter was retired, the next eight batters reached safely. Alabama Christian loaded the bases without the benefit of a hit. Jackson McGuire, Landon Nelson, and Grant Cornette each drove in single runs before Jackson Burton delivered the big blast with a grand slam over the left field fence to give ACA a 9-1 advantage. Cam Sutton drove in the last run of the frame for a 10-1 lead.

Landon Nelson, who gave up a run in the first on the mound, settled in and mowed down the Conquerers as he retired nine of the next ten hitters over the final three innings. The senior helped his own cause with a two-run double in the third followed by a two-run single by Grant Cornette for a commanding 14-1 cushion. Neither team scored in the fourth as the game ended after four innings.

Mac Moorer, Landon Nelson, and Grant Cornette each delivered two hits to lead the offense. Moorer scored three runs while Nelson and Cornette each drove in three runs. Jackson Burton led the team in RBIs with four driven in with one swing of the bat. Nelson dominated on the mound to earn the victory as he gave up two hits and one run with nine strikeouts over four innings.

Alabama Christian returns to action next Monday, March 25, as they travel to Greenville.

ACA Splits a Pair on Day One of Spring Break Tournament

Spring break for the baseball team started at 9:00 am Monday morning at the ball field. Alabama Christian (5-8) played Brighton (TN) in the first game and Hilldale (OK) in game number two. Game one was a nine inning thriller that ACA won 4-3 while game two got away from the Eagles late in a 2-10 loss.

Game one - Brighton

The Eagles struck first and scored three runs in the first two innings. in the first, Mac Moorer and Jackson McGuire got on to start the inning, but it took a two-out single from Jackson Burton to plate the first run of the game. In the bottom half, Moorer and McGuire teamed up again as they got the last out of the inning by throwing a runner out who was attempting to steal home. in the second, after loading the bases with no outs, Bryson Dabney singled in the second run of the day and McGuire knocked in the third run on an RBI fielder’s choice. Meanwhile, Moorer, who got the start on the hill, breezed through the Brighton lineup the fist time around as he faced the minimum of nine batters through the first three innings.

In the fourth inning, Brighton finally scored with the help of two Eagle errors to cut the deficit to one run. The designated home team hoped to score more than two, but Sam Schoeteker made a fabulous catch for the third out in center to end the threat. Neither offense could get any momentum in the fifth and sixth innings and the teams went to the seventh with ACA still clinging to a one-run lead, 3-2.

In the seventh, Bryson Dabney led off the inning being hit by a pitch, but could only get as far as second base. In the bottom half, Brighton put together two hits to tie the game 3-3. Landon Nelson came in with two outs to try to keep it tied. After giving up an infield single, Nelson recorded the third out as the game headed to extra innings. Neither offense put anyone on base in the eighth and the ninth started that way for the Eagles. The first two batters in the inning struck out, but the next three reached safely to put Alabama Christian ahead. Dabney was hit for the second time in the game followed by a walk from Mac Moorer. Jackson McGuire delivered the game winning single to center on an 0-2 count to give ACA the lead. Nelson closed the door in the bottom half and the Eagles walked away with a thrilling win to start the day.

Jackson McGuire led the offense with a 2 for 5 day with two runs driven in while Teilan Long went 2 for 4 in the opener. Jackson Burton and Bryson Dabney both had a hit and an RBI. Landon Nelson picked up the win with 2 1/3 innings of relief work with two strikeouts. Starter Mac Moorer, who pitched well enough to win, lasted 6 2/3 innings while striking out four and allowing just two earned runs.

Game two - Hilldale

ACA scored first in game two as well, but that was the highlight of the second game. Grant Cornette knocked in Mac Moorer with an RBI ground out to take an early 1-0 lead. ACA loaded the bases in the second, but was unable to push across a run. The Hilldale bats came alive in the third as they scored four in the frame for a three-run advantage. Trailing 5-1 in the sixth, the Eagles loaded the bases again and scored their second run when Moorer was hit by pitch, but three runs down would be as close as they would get. Hilldale doubled their score as they scored five in the sixth to end it by a final score of 10-2.

The offense mustered just three singles from Grant Cornette, Telian Long, and Cam Sutton although they were hit by pitch five times and drew two walks. Cornette and Mac Moorer drove in the two runs. Cam Sutton got the loss as he gave up five earned runs in five innings while striking out three. Long made his debut on the mound for the varsity as he pitched to the last two hitters of the game.

ACA Impresses in Road WIn at Tallassee

Tallassee handled Alabama Christian in its first match up of the season, but the Eagles turned the tables on Thursday night with a convincing 6-1 defeat of the Tigers. It was the best performance of the year heading into spring break. The home dugout was loud and rowdy to start the game, but as the Eagle pitching and defense kept posting zeroes on the scoreboard, the dugout grew quieter and quieter. One group that did not stay quiet was Tallassee’s own peanut gallery who were perched on a hill all the way down the left field line. Despite the distance from the field, the group was able to point out everything the umpires missed.

Cam Sutton started for ACA and performed masterfully as he used his defense behind him with an efficient effort. Sutton faced just eight batters over the first two frames as his catcher, Jackson McGuire helped him out of trouble in the second. With one out and runners on first and third, McGuire threw out the runner attempting to steal second for the second out of the inning. It was a close play and the Tallassee coach disagreed with the call. When the next batter flew out to left, the coach chirped at blue all the way across the infield. After several warnings to stop, the umpire tossed the coach out of the game.

The Eagles offense then provided some fireworks of its own with three runs in the third. Bryson Dabney led off the inning with a walk followed by a Mac Moorer single. Jackson McGuire tried to move the runners over with a sac bunt, but Dabney was forced out at third for the first out. The next three batters, Landon Nelson, Grant Cornette, and Jackson Burton, each drove in a run to build a 3-0 lead. Tallassee finally scored in the fourth, but Sutton held the Tigers to a single run. Neither team scored in the fifth or sixth as ACA looked to add some insurance in their final at bat.

Mac Moorer and Jackson McGuire started the seventh with back to back walks. Landon Nelson singled to center to drive in Moorer and move McGuire to third. An infield error loaded the bases and Jackson Burton followed with a ground ball single to center to drive in two runs for a 6-1 cushion. Nelson, who came in to relieve the starter in the fifth, set the Tigers down in order by striking out the side to pick up the save.

Three players delivered two hits apiece to lead the offense in the win. Jackson Burton went 2 for 3 with three RBIs while Mac Moorer finished 2 for 3 with two runs scored and Landon Nelson was 2 for 4 with a double, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Bryant Swindle, who courtesy ran for Jackson McGuire, scored the other two runs. Cam Sutton picked up his first varsity victory going 4 1/3 innings while giving up a run with one strikeout. In relief, Nelson pitched 2 2/3 innings and struck out six to earn the save.

The Eagles head south for spring break to play four games in Gulf Shores. Monday’s schedule sees ACA face Brighton (TN) and Hilldale (OK).

ACA Defeats Greenville in Armstrong Tournament

There were doubts all day about whether or not Alabama Christian’s (3-5) game against Greenville would even be played on Tuesday afternoon. Fortunately, the rain held off enough to let the contest go on and the Eagles came away with a convincing 10-1 win over an over matched Greenville squad. For the second game in a row the starting pitching was excellent as Mac Moorer followed Landon Nelson’s example from Monday and pitched a gem of his own. The junior right-hander pitched a complete game four-hitter and allowed just one run with six strikeouts.

ACA scored in each of the first three innings to build a commanding 8-0 cushion. After Moorer set down the first three Tiger batters on just eight pitches, the Eagles scored two in the bottom half. Landon Nelson singled to right to drive in Moorer and later scored on a throwing error for a 2-0 lead. In the second, Cam Sutton and Zander Costanza both singled followed by a Bryson Dabney walk to load the bases with no outs. Sutton scored on a wild pitch and Costanza and Dabney both scored on a Jackson McGuire single to left for a 5-0 advantage. Later in the frame ACA scored two more runs on consecutive passed balls to build a seven run lead. In the third, Sutton scored on a throwing error as Greenville tried to turn two.

Meanwhile, Mac Moorer continued to dazzle and had not allowed a hit through three innings. Greenville hit back to back doubles down the third base line to start the fourth, but Moorer rebounded and retired the next three hitters to keep the damage to one run. Alabama Christian scored its last two runs of the night in the sixth. Landon Nelson doubled down the left field line to score Moorer and with two outs Sam Schoeteker walked and scored on a Grant Cornette single for a 10-1 lead. Moorer closed the door in the seventh for ACA’s second win in a row.

Landon Nelson finished the night going 2 for 3 with a double and two runs driven in. Cam Sutton also went 2 for 3 with two runs scored. Jackson McGuire had two RBI’s while Mac Moorer scored two runs.

The Eagles will continue play in the Armstrong Tournament on Thursday at Paterson Field against Pike Road.

Alabama Christian Shuts Out Beulah

After dropping a game at Beulah a little over a week ago, ACA (2-5) blanked the visitors 7-0 on Monday night behind the right arm of Landon Nelson. The senior took the mound and dominated the Bobcat lineup as he struck out a career high 13 batters over five innings while giving up just one hit. Nelson set the tone early as he struck out the side in the first on just eleven pitches.

Neither team scored through the first two innings, but the Eagles touched home four times in the third to give their pitcher all the runs he would need. After Mac Moorer and Jackson McGuire opened the frame with singles, Landon Nelson drove in the first run of the night with a double down the left field line. Jackson Burton followed with an RBI on a fielder’s choice and Cam Sutton drove in the last two on a pop up single to shallow left that the Beulah shortstop could not catch. Nelson again struck out the side in the fourth to make sure the Bobcats didn’t have any thoughts of a comeback. Although his control was not as sharp in the fifth, he finished the night with his 13th punch out of the night.

In the final innings, ACA looked to pad the four run lead for some insurance. In the fifth, ACA looked poised for a big inning as Bryson Dabney coaxed a one-out bases loaded walk to extend the lead to 5-0 and turn it over to the top of the lineup. Unfortunately, the rally was halted as a jog down the first base line aided an inning ending double play. Cam Sutton relieved Nelson and set the Bobcats down 1-2-3 in the sixth. In the home half, ACA scored twice more on a Grant Cornette ground out and a Teilan Long double. In the seventh, Beulah’s lead off hitter reached base, but was erased on a beautiful around the horn double play. The last hitter popped up and the game belonged to Alabama Christian.

Jackson McGuire led the hit parade with a 3 for 3 night with a walk. Zander Costanza finished 2 for 3 with a walk as five other batters each had one hit. Cam Sutton’s two RBIs were the most on the team while Grant Cornette and Jackson Burton each scored two runs for team high honors. Landon Nelson and Teilan Long had the team’s extra base hits as both hit doubles.

If the rain holds off, ACA is scheduled to participate in the Jason Armstrong Tournament on Tuesday against Greenville at Riverwalk.

Eagles Drop Decision to Trinity

Alabama Christian (1-5) hung tough for 5 1/2 innings, but eventually lost at Trinity, 3-8. ACA trailed by one run as the Wildcats came to bat in the sixth, but gave up four runs in the frame for the final tally. Jackson McGuire’s five innings was the most any starter has thrown this season and gave his team a chance to win with his effort.

The Wildcats scored two in the second to open the scoring and the score remained 2-0 through four innings. in the fifth, ACA pushed across its first run of the day. With one out, Bryson Dabney walked followed by a Mac Moorer single to put two runners on. Jackson McGuire doubled to right to score Dabney and set up the offense with runners on second and third with just one out. At a minimum, the thought was to at least tie the game, but the next two batters popped out on the infield to kill the rally.

Trinity scored two in the fifth to stretch the lead to 4-1, but the Eagles immediately responded with two runs of their own to bring the deficit back to one run. After walks to Teilan Long and Bryant Swindle, Bryson Dabney delivered a two-out double that scored Long and put runners at second and third. Up next, Mac Moorer walked to load the bases which brought up Jackson McGuire. On a 2-1 count, McGuire singled to right which scored Swindle, but Dabney was held at third. Unfortunately, it looked as if Moorer assumed Dabney would be sent and was caught in a rundown for the third out of the inning. Moorer then came in to relieve McGuire, but after striking the first two batters out was unable to record another out. Trinity scored four times in the inning to extend the lead to 8-3. Landon Nelson led the seventh off with a double to try and mount a comeback, but the next three batters were retired to end the game.

Jackson McGuire, who has arguably been the team’s best player over the first six games, led the offense with two hits in three at-bats including a double and two RBIs. Although the junior picked up the loss on the mound he pitched well over five innings with five strikeouts. Bryson Dabney, Mac Moorer, and Landon Nelson contributed the other three hits for the offense on the day.

Alabama Christian will host Percy Julian, formerly known as Lee, on Friday for their next game.

ACA Defense Falters in Loss at Reeltown

A championship caliber team would have great difficulty winning a game overcoming nine errors. So, you can imagine the strain that would put on a young team still searching for its identity. ACA (1-4) was not able to overcome the miscues in a 4-9 loss at Reeltown. Cam Sutton pitched a good game, as he got the start, but holding the Rebel offense down with six errors behind him was asking too much of the sophomore. Teilan Long and Alex Heilman both made their varsity debuts in the game and made contributions.

Neither team scored in the first, but after a Teilan Long double to center, Sam Schoeteker’s sac fly drove in the first run of the contest. Cam Sutton faced just three Reeltown batters in the second thanks to a Cornette to Nelson to Heilman double play. In the third inning, ACA tacked on two more runs as Bryson Dabney and Grant Cornette hit back to back singles with one out. After a passed ball moved both runners up a base, Jackson Mcguire kept the inning going with a two-run single to right for a 3-0 lead. Sutton retired the first two batters in the home half of the inning, but an infield error that would have ended the inning seemed to take the wind out of the sails of the Eagles. After the error, Reeltown scored twice to cut the lead to 3-2 after three.

ACA committed four errors in the fourth as the game started to get away from the visitors. Reeltown scored four times on just one hit to lead 6-3 after four. In the fifth and sixth frames, the rebels scored three more times for a 9-3 cushion. Jackson McGuire drove in a run in the seventh for the final margin of 4-9.

Jackson McGuire led the offense as he went 3 for 3 with three RBIs. Grant Cornette, Teilan Long, and Bryson Dabney delivered the other three hits for the team. Cam Sutton pitched four innings to start and gave up just one earned run while Grant Cornette pitched the final two innings without giving up an earned run. In an oddity for high school baseball, the two ACA pitchers did not walk or strike out a single batter.

ACA has an early 2:30 start at Trinity on Tuesday next time out.

Alabama Christian Loses at Home Against Tallassee

ACA (1-2) hosted Tallassee on Thursday night and fell to the visiting Tigers, 1-7. Tallassee scored three runs in the first inning and never looked back in the easy victory. Starting pitcher Landon Nelson began the game with a strikeout, but five of the next six batters reached safely to build a three run lead. Mac Moorer and Grant Cornette led off the Eagles half with back to back singles and Nelson drove in a run with an infield ground out, but the offense couldn’t push anyone else across. The offense had three base runners in the first, but only five more would reach base over the next six frames.

Tallassee scored two in the second and two more in the fourth to open a 7-1 cushion. Grant Cornette stayed hot in the third with his second hit of the night, but was erased on an inning ending double play. Cam Sutton made his pitching debut in relief and pitched the final four innings for the Eagles.

Grant Cornette had half of the team’s hits as he finished 2 for 3 on the night. Mac Moorer and Conner Foucault had the other two hits as Moorer scored the only run of the night. Landon Nelson (4) and Cam Sutton (6) combined to strike out ten Tigers in the game.

Alabama Christian hits the road on Friday as they travel to Beulah for their next game.

ACA Defeats Catholic in Home Opener

The Eagles (1-1) opened the home season with a 15-6 defeat of Catholic. The game was tied 6-6 when ACA exploded for nine runs in the bottom of the sixth to secure the win.

Mac Moorer started for the home team and set the Knights down 1-2-3 in the first. The offense wasted no time getting on the board as they pushed across three runs in the bottom half. The first run scored on a Landon Nelson sac fly followed by a two-run missile over the left field wall by Jackson Burton. After a scoreless second, Catholic got on the board with five runs in the third to take a 5-3 lead. Alabama Christian got one back in the bottom half as Burton drove in Nelson on an infield ground out.

Jackson McGuire relieved the starter in the fourth inning and promptly sat down the Knight’s 2, 3, and 4 hitters as he struck out the side. In the bottom of the fourth, Mac Moorer was hit by pitch with the bases loaded to tie the score and a Grant Cornette sac fly gave the Eagles a one-run lead. The Knights scored one in the fifth to tie it back up. McGuire did not allow a run in the sixth to leave the game tied heading into the big inning for ACA.

With one out in the sixth, ACA strung together three consecutive singles to load the bases. Jackson McGuire hit a sac fly to left, for the second out, to give the Eagles the lead. After that out, Catholic pitching put the next five batters on by a walk or hit batsman which gave the home team an 11-6 advantage. Grant Cornette then doubled down the left field line to drive in two more followed by a Landon Nelson two-bagger that drove in another two for a 15-6 lead. Eight men reached base safely between the second and third outs in the frame. McGuire came back out in the seventh and finished off the night with a strikeout.

Jackson McGuire picked up the win in relief as he gave up just one run over four innings while striking out six and walking one. The junior also helped himself at the plate with the game winning sac fly in the sixth. Landon Nelson and Jackson Burton led the offense as both players finished 3 for 4 with three RBI’s and two runs scored. Grant Cornette finished 2 for 3 with a double, three runs driven in and three runs scored while Mac Moorer was 2 for 3 with two ribbies and two runs scored. Cam Sutton continued to get on base by any means necessary as he was hit two more times in the game. The sophomore has reached base safely in six out of seven plate appearances without a hit.

ACA will be back at home on Thursday as they take on Tallassee.

Alabama Christian Opens Season at Chilton County

It was a beautiful day to open the 2024 baseball season as Alabama Christian (0-1) traveled to Clanton to play. Unfortunately, the game did not begin until 7:00 and the cold crept back in after the sun went down. The Eagles fell to Chilton County by a score of 5-2.

Mac (or Mal as the PA announcer liked to call him) Moorer looked in mid-season form to lead off the first as he was hit on the second pitch of the game. Landon Nelson singled to center with one out, but a double play ended the threat and the first inning. Nelson toed the rubber for ACA and although he had base runners in every frame he pitched, he allowed just one hit over his 3 ⅔ innings and struck out seven. The hit he gave up was a two-run double in the bottom of the fourth for the first runs of the night. The hit was a heart breaker as it came after Nelson and the entire team thought he had struck out the batter before which would have ended the inning and kept the contest scoreless.

ACA answered in the top of the fifth with two runs of their own to tie the game at 2-2. Jackson McGuire led off with a single followed by a walk from Cam Sutton. Zander Costanza sacrificed the two runners over to put runners at second and third with one out. After a strikeout, Mac Moorer delivered a two-out infield single which scored Bryant Swindle, who was running for McGuire, and after an error by the shortstop Sutton came around to score to tie the game. Moorer relieved in the home half of the fifth, but gave up an unearned run as Chilton County pulled back in the lead. The home team scored two more unearned runs in the sixth for the 5-2 victory.

Mac Moorer, Grant Cornette, Landon Nelson, and Jackson McGuire each had a single for the team’s four hits on the night. Moorer and Cam Sutton each reached base three times.

ACA resumes play on Tuesday, February 20th as they host Catholic in the home opener.

ACA Beats LAMP on Senior Night

Alabama Christian celebrated its three seniors before the contest against LAMP Monday night and celebrated a 6-4 win over the Golden Tigers afterward. Hunter Barfoot, Preston Hicks and Hayes Hunt’s careers are coming to a close and each senior contributed in the victory. Barfoot gutted out six innings on the mound to pick up the victory while Hicks and Hunt combined for three of the team’s six hits, drove in two runs and scored three runs.

With two outs in the bottom of the first, Preston Hicks doubled to center field to start a rally aided by LAMP’s defensive miscues. William Milner and Landon Nelson both reached on Tiger errors for a 2-0 first-inning lead. In the second inning, the Eagles scored two more runs with two outs. David Ortiz-Ramirez and Hayes Hunt both walked and then scored on a single by Mac Moorer and a fielding error by the right fielder. LAMP was able to get on the scoreboard with a two-out single in the fourth to cut the score to 4-1.

ACA answered with two more runs in the bottom half as Hayes Hunt tripled in David Ortiz-Ramirez and later scored himself on a Preston Hicks single. The home team led 6-1 after four innings. LAMP scored one in the sixth to cut the lead to four runs. In the seventh, Hicks came into a save situation after the first two Tiger hitters walked. The senior induced a ground ball and exchanged a run for an out. Down three runs with one out, LAMP chose to sacrifice the runner over to third and the Eagles gladly took the second out. Although LAMP scored its fourth run on a wild pitch, the next batter struck out looking to end the game.

Preston Hicks finished 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI and picked up the save to finish the game. Landon Nelson went 2 for 4 with Hayes Hunt and Mac Moorer picking up the other two hits. Hunter Barfoot earned the win with six tough innings and three strikeouts. Moorer produced two exceptional diving stops at second to get the runner at first at key times late in the game.

Alabama Christian closes out the season with a three-game series with MA starting on Thursday. The two teams will play once at the AUM baseball complex on Thursday and a doubleheader at MA on Friday.

Alabama Christian Defeats St James in Extra Innings

It wasn’t easy and the Eagles made it exciting and nerve-racking all at the same time, but in the end, ACA came out on top in a must-win contest at St James. Alabama Christian trailed by two after four innings, tied the game in the fifth, took the lead in the sixth, and extended the advantage to 7-4 in the top of the seventh. To the Trojan’s credit, the home team scored three times in the bottom half to force extra innings. ACA scored one in the ninth and kept St James off the board for the 8-7 triumph.

Landon Nelson got the offense off to a good start in the first inning with a two-out single that scored Hayes Hunt and Preston Hicks. Hunt set the Trojans down 1-2-3 in the bottom half. The Eagles needed the senior lefty to fight and keep the team in the game and he delivered all day long. St James scored three in the second and one in the fourth to take a 4-2 lead.

In the fifth, Mac Moorer sacrificed in David Ortiz-Ramirez to cut the lead to one and Hayes Hunt scored on an infield error to tie the game, 4-4. The Trojans committed six errors in the game to help the Eagle’s cause. With two outs in the sixth, Ortiz-Ramirez drew a walk and stole second base. Hunt drove him in with a double to right to give ACA a 5-4 lead. In the seventh, Kaleb Hopkins drove in the team’s sixth run and later scored on a wild pitch to give the Eagles a seemingly comfortable 7-4 advantage. 

Hunt retired the first two batters in the home half, but two walks and an infield error loaded the bases. Consecutive St James singles tied the game, 7-7. A second error reloaded the bases, but Hunt induced a pop-up to first baseman Kaleb Hopkins to send the game to extra innings. Both teams were retired in order in the eighth. Preston Hicks led off the ninth with a double but was still standing on third with two outs. On a 1-2 count, Hicks scored on a passed ball to help ACA retake the lead. Mac Moorer looked to pick up a save as he pitched the ninth frame. After a leadoff walk, the Trojans gave away an out to move the runner to second. The next batter bunted for a base hit to third leaving runners at first and third with one out. For the third straight time, St James attempted to bunt, but Moorer came off the mound and threw home for the fielder’s choice. The last Trojan batter flew out to left and the Eagles hung on for an 8-7 thriller in nine innings.

Hayes Hunt picked up the win with eight innings of work as he allowed three earned runs on 104 pitches. Mac Moorer picked up the save as he blanked St James in the ninth. At the plate, Preston Hicks led the team with three hits in five at-bats with a double and three runs scored, including the game-winner. Hunt finished 2 for 5 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Landon Nelson, Kaleb Hopkins and Ari Bowman each had a single hit. Nelson drove in two runs to lead the team.

The two Area foes are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Thursday to finish the series.

ACA Swept in Doubleheader by PCA

Alabama Christian looked to bounce back after a loss to PCA on Thursday but lost both games of a doubleheader and was swept by the Panthers. The Eagles committed six more errors in the twin bill for a total of eleven mishaps for the series. ACA falls to 0-2 in the Area with the losses.

In game one, the Eagles scored in the top of the first as Preston Hicks scored Hayes Hunt on a grounder to second base. PCA responded with three in the bottom half as they cleared the bases on a single and an outfield error. The Panthers clearly snatched any momentum the Eagles had with an early lead. PCA tacked on two more runs in the fourth and one in the fifth to build a 6-1 cushion. 

ACA showed signs of life as they strung together consecutive hits and closed the gap to 6-3. Kaleb Hopkins and William Milner both drove in runs in the inning. PCA got both of them back in the bottom of the sixth as Mac Moorer recorded the final out on just one pitch. The Eagles put the first two men on in the top of the seventh, but the next three batters didn’t make it out of the infield for the 8-3 loss.

Five Eagles had hits as Kaleb Hopkins doubled while Hayes Hunt, Mac Moorer, Preston Hicks and William Milner all singled. Landon Nelson took the loss after five innings of work with six strikeouts. Hunter Barfoot and Moorer both relieved in the sixth inning.

In game two, Mac Moorer continued to pitch and took the lead into the sixth inning until two costly errors derailed the chance for the victory. ACA scored first in the top of the third as Moorer and William Milner both had run-scoring singles. Moorer held the Panthers down for five innings on an economical fifty pitches. Unfortunately, a defense that worked for him up until the sixth committed two critical errors.

The inning started with a walk and an error on a fly ball to left field. After a strikeout, PCA doubled in a run and scored again on a sac fly to tie the game, 2-2. A second walk put runners at first and third with two outs, but an infield error allowed the game-winning run to score for PCA. The Eagles went quietly in the seventh, three up and three down.

The offense produced five singles in the contest and no batter reached safely more than once. Mac Moorer took the loss despite giving up just one earned run over six innings with four strikeouts.  

Eagles Drop Series Opener Against PCA

Although the Eagles have played fifteen games entering the contest against PCA, the season really started Thursday afternoon in game one of the Area series against the Panthers. Over the next two weeks, four teams in class 3A Area 6 will compete for two playoff spots. The other teams, MA and St James, also started a series against each other on Thursday.

Both teams had been off for at least a week after spring break, but ACA came out lifeless and PCA jumped out to an early lead. The Panthers scored one in the top of the first on an RBI groundout. In the bottom half, Alabama Christian had two runners in scoring position but failed to produce the run-producing hit. ACA would eventually leave nine runners on base through the game. After PCA scored their second run on a bases-loaded walk, the number nine hitter launched a grand slam to make the score 6-0 and effectively secured the outcome after just an inning and a half. 

PCA added three more in the fifth for a 9-0 advantage. The Eagles finally crossed the plate in the fifth as Hayes Hunt and Mac Moorer hit back-to-back doubles. ACA scored a second run in the sixth but never mounted a real threat. In the seventh, trailing 10-2, the Eagles scored twice as the Panthers gladly traded runs for outs.

Hayes Hunt and Mac Moorer led the offense with two hits apiece as each drove in a run. Hunt took the loss on the mound with three strikeouts over five innings. Jackson McGuire pitched two effective innings in relief to end the game with two strikeouts.

Games two and three of the series will be played on Friday at PCA. 

Bats Come Alive as ACA Defeats Tallassee

Alabama Christian amassed twelve runs and thirteen hits in Thursday’s contest against Tallassee which is as many as they had over their last four games combined. The offensive output was a welcome sight and hopefully is a good sign as the team starts Area play in just two weeks.

Despite giving up a single, Hayes Hunt cruised through the first inning on just seven pitches as three of the four Tallassee batters swung at the first pitch. Hunt led off the bottom half with a walk and as Mac Moorer stepped into the box you just knew what was going to happen next. Sure enough, Moorer was hit by the first pitch he saw. Preston Hicks made the Tigers pay for the two free passes as he singled to center to drive in Hunt. Moorer later scored on an infield error to give ACA a 2-0 lead. Tallassee scored twice in the second inning to quickly tie the score, 2-2. Neither team scored in their next two at-bats, but a Landon Nelson diving catch in right field was the defensive play of the game in the third inning.

The Eagles took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Preston Hicks was intentionally walked and the hitters behind him made the Tigers pay. Hunter Barfoot walked to load the bases, Landon Nelson drove in two with a line drive single to center, Ari Bowman drove in another run with a single to right, and Jackson McGuire singled to left for two more runs after a Kaleb Hopkins walk. Five batters in a row delivered after the intentional pass to Hicks. The Tigers scored two in the fifth to cut the lead to three runs, but a double steal by ACA scored Mac Moorer for an 8-4 cushion.

Tallassee failed to score in the sixth and Alabama Christian scored four more times to put the game out of reach. William Milner drove in a run with a productive out, Hayes Hunt singled in Kaleb Hopkins, and Mac Moorer knocked in Jud Graham and Hunt for a 12-4 lead. Moorer relieved Hunt and pitched the seventh to close out the game.

Hayes Hunt picked up the win on the mound with a solid six innings as he gave up just three hits while striking out seven Tigers. Hunt helped himself at the plate as he was one of four players with two hits on the night. Ari Bowman, Preston Hicks and Mac Moorer each collected two hits. Hunt scored three runs to lead the team and Moorer, Jackson McGuire and Landon Nelson each drove in two runs.

If the rain holds off, ACA is scheduled to play Brew Tech on Friday for their next game.

Eagles Fall to Catholic in Another One Run Defeat

After winning 5-4 on Monday, ACA dropped one at Catholic by the same score. The Eagles scored two in the first inning and did not cross the plate again until the sixth. The tying run got on in the seventh in the person of Mac Moorer, but for the third time in the game, the Catholic catcher ended an inning throwing out an Eagle base runner.

In ACA’s half of the first, Hayes Hunt and Mac Moorer were both hit by pitch and Preston Hicks walked to start the action. Moorer is gaining a reputation for the ball finding him in the batter’s box. If he keeps getting hit at this pace his walk-up music will change to “You Wear it Well” by Rod Stewart or “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” by Pat Benatar. Hunt scored as Hunter Barfoot grounded into a double play and Landon Nelson had an infield hit to help Alabama Christian take a 2-0 lead. The Knights responded by scoring in each of the first three innings for a 5-2 advantage.

Mac Moorer came in to relieve Preston Hicks in the fourth and kept the Catholic bats in check. The sophomore faced the minimum over three innings with four strikeouts. In the top of the sixth, two Catholic errors and a pop single by Landon Nelson loaded the bases with no outs. William Milner worked a walk to drive in a run and, after a strikeout, Jud Graham drove in a run with a ground out to cut the lead to one run. However, the Eagles flew out with the bases loaded to end the threat. The Eagles failed to score in their final at-bat for the one-run loss.

Hayes Hunt and Landon Nelson each collected two hits to lead the offense. Nelson, William Milner and Jud Graham each drove in a run.

Alabama Christian returns to action Thursday night as Tallassee visits. 

Alabama Christian Slips Past Trinity in Close Game

What a great way to start a busy week full of games. The Eagles hosted Trinity Monday afternoon and defeated the visitors, 5-4. ACA took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth and held the Wildcats off in the seventh for the win.

Landon Nelson faced the minimum in the first as he picked off the Trinity runner at first to end the inning. In the second, Trinity loaded the bases with the help of two hit batsmen and scored twice to take the early lead. David Ortiz-Ramirez got Alabama Christian on the board with a two-out single in the bottom half to cut the score to 2-1. The Wildcats got the run back on a controversial call at home to regain the two-run advantage. With a runner on second and one out, Preston Hicks fielded a grounder up the middle and threw to first for the out, but the runner at second did not stop at third and headed for home. The throw from Hayes Hunt beat the runner home, but the runner jumped over catcher Jud Graham and was called safe by the umpire even though it appeared Graham tagged him on the leg.

In the fourth inning, Ari Bowman grounded out and drove in Landon Nelson to cut the lead to 3-2. In the fifth, the Eagles tied the score without the benefit of a hit. With one out Hayes Hunt bunted and reached on a throwing error which allowed him to advance to second as the ball rolled past the first baseman. As the two players came together at first, Hunt inadvertently kicked the glove off the first baseman’s hand into right field. After Mac Moorer was hit by a pitch for a second time, Preston Hicks reached base after another Wildcat error. Hunt scored from second on the play to tie the game, 3-3. 

In the sixth inning, Trinity got very aggressive at the plate as the first two hitters hit singles on just three pitches. On the fourth pitch, both runners advanced on a passed ball. The next three outs were recorded on only three pitches. Unfortunately for ACA one of the outs was a sac fly that gave the Wildcats a one-run lead. In the home half, the Eagles scored twice without a hit. Ari Bowman walked to start the inning and was sacrificed to second by William Milner. David Ortiz-Ramirez was hit by a pitch and Hayes Hunt walked to load the bases with one out. Mac Moorer was hit for a single game-record third time to tie the score at four. After a pitching change, Preston Hicks drew a walk to give ACA the lead. Landon Nelson climbed the hill one more time for the seventh inning and looked to seal the win for the Eagles. Although two runners reached, Nelson coaxed three infield popups out of Trinity for the victory.

Landon Nelson pitched a complete game gem as he struck out three over seven innings. Nelson was one of only two Eagles to hit get a hit. Mac Moorer became the third player ever to be hit three times in a game. Moorer, Preston Hicks, Ari Bowman and David Ortiz-Ramirez each drove in a run.

ACA plays at Catholic Tuesday afternoon for their next game. 

Eagles Lose Close One to Elmore County

After a rainout on Thursday, ACA closed out the week with a contest against Elmore County in the FCA/Jason Armstrong tournament. Once again, the Eagles got good starting pitching and solid defensive play, but the bats continued to struggle. Alabama Christian had chances to tie it up late in the game but came up just short in the 3-4 defeat.

Starter Hayes Hunt set down the Panthers with just six pitches in the first inning and posted another zero in the second. ACA had multiple runners on base in each of the first three innings, but could not plate a run. Elmore County scored three in the bottom of the third for the first runs of the game. The Eagles answered in the fourth with a two-out single from Hunt to score William Milner and again in the fifth as Hunter Barfoot scored on a dropped third strike.

Elmore County hit back-to-back doubles to open their half of the fifth to make the score 4-2. Neither team scored in the sixth which meant ACA needed two runs to extend the game in the final inning. The frame began with a Preston Hicks walk and Hunter Barfoot thought he did too on four straight balls, but the umpire said it was just 3-0 and made Hicks go back to first even though he should have been awarded the base because it was a live ball. Luckily, Barfoot walked on the next pitch and the Panther reliever was pulled from the game. However, the new pitcher lasted for only one batter and was pulled after another walk. With the bases loaded and no outs, ACA looked poised to tie the game, at a minimum, but managed just one run and fell by the final score of 3-4.

Hunter Barfoot led the offense with two hits in three at-bats with a walk. Hayes Hunt and Jud Graham each collected a hit with an RBI in the contest. Hunt picked up the loss but had a strong outing with seven strikeouts with just one walk over six innings.

Alabama Christian will be busy next week with four games. The week will start with a visit from Trinity on Monday.

ACA Drops Opener in Armstrong Tournament

There’s more than one way to get a batter out and two contrasting methods were on display as ACA tangled with Stanhope Elmore in the opening game of the FCA Jason Armstrong Tournament. Starting pitcher, Hunter Barfoot used movement and change of speeds while the hurler for the Mustangs tried to throw it through his catcher on almost every pitch. Barfoot matched zeroes for four innings although the score read 1-0 in favor of Stanhope. The Mustangs were the beneficiary of a blown call at first in the third which resulted in their first run. If umpires were assessed runs for bad calls, the first run of the game would have been charged to the one in the field. In the fifth, Stanhope Elmore hit two solo shots to extend the lead to 3-0.

Neither team recorded a hit until the botched call at first which produced the first safety of the game for the Mustangs. The Eagle’s bats were silenced by the opposing pitcher as the Eagles never had more than one base runner on in an inning. ACA only had two real shots to score but came up empty both times. In the second inning, Ari Bowman was hit by a pitch and after a stolen base was moved to third on a groundout by Jud Graham. Next, William Milner hit a grounder to second, but with the infield playing in, Bowman was thrown out at the plate. In the sixth, and trailing by three runs, Hunter Barfoot singled to right with two outs, but Landon Nelson was thrown out at home to end the inning.

In a game where pitching and defense were going to have to shine, Alabama Christian played their best game of the year. However, the bats could not match the strong pitching performance of the Mustangs. Hunter Barfoot pitched five innings with two strikeouts and had the team’s only hit on the day. Mac Moorer pitched a scoreless sixth in relief. Eight different fielders recorded outs in the contest with just one error.

Alabama Christian will next play Holtville Thursday evening at Riverwalk Stadium. 

Alabama Christian Steamrolls Jeff Davis in Saturday Afternoon Contest

ACA played a rare non-tournament matinee game against Jeff Davis on Saturday. The two foes met Tuesday and the result was the same in Saturday’s matchup. The Eagles won easily 19-1 as they visited Peter Crump Field. The nineteen runs were the most scored by ACA since 2013. The Volunteer pitchers allowed a bevy of runners as they walked ten men and hit seven more.

Despite the lopsided final score, the game was tied 1-1 after an inning. Hayes Hunt scored from third on a wild pitch and Jeff Davis doubled a runner in for their only run of the day. In the second inning, the visitors scored five runs highlighted by a Hunt hit that drove in a run. The other four runs scored on an error, a groundout, another error and a wild pitch. After Preston Hicks pitched a three up, three down second inning, ACA scored five more runs in the third. Six of the first eight batters reached base via a hit by pitch or a walk. Jud Graham drove in the final run of the frame with a single up the middle that scored Mac Moorer.

Hicks struck out the side in the third as Jeff Davis finally made it all the way through the batting order. With a comfortable lead, Alabama Christian swung the bat freely in the fourth and scored eight more runs in the process. Hayes Hunt, Landon Nelson and Ari Bowman each had run-producing hits to stretch the lead to 14-1. Jackson McGuire was hit by a pitch with the bases juiced for the team’s fifteenth run. William Milner and David Ortiz-Ramirez knocked in two more runs while Kaleb Hopkins and Mac Moorer drove in runs with a walk and a hit by pitch, respectively. Bowman took the hill to close out the game and was effectively wild with two hit batters of his own and three strikeouts.

Preston Hicks earned the win on the mound with seven strikeouts over three innings while giving up just one hit. Hayes Hunt finished 2 for 2 with a walk and a double with three RBIs and four runs scored. Hunt’s four runs scored tied a single-game record held by a host of Eagles that was last accomplished by Thomas Stovall just last season. Jud Graham and David Ortiz-Ramirez both went 2 for 3 with an RBI. Landon Nelson drove in two while Ortiz-Ramirez and Mac Moorer each scored three runs.

Alabama Christian will participate in the annual FCA tournament next week and will face Stanhope Elmore Wednesday afternoon.