By Staff
Charles Prince, Hartselle Enquirer
Tiger baseball players consider it their birthright. A trip to the state playoffs is just about a foregone conclusion each season in Hartselle.
After last week's win over the Athens Golden Eagles, Hartselle clinched a berth in the post season for the16th straight season.
"It's just one of our stepping stones," Hartselle coach William Booth said. "Our goal is to win the state championship, so this is just part of our goal."
Hartselle 2, Prattville 0
Zack Andrews won his ninth game of the season with the shutout. Andrews struck out six while allowing four hits.
Chris Kohlenberg and Brian Ellis both walked and scored on Craig Womack's double in the bottom of the fifth.
David Cameron went 1-for-2 with a double.
Hartselle 5, Southside 2
Heath Tapscott ran his record to 2-0 with a five inning one-hit gem. Both of Southside's runs were unearned as Tapscott struck out nine. Chris Russell picked up his first save of the season throwing two innings, striking out three and allowing two hits.
Ja'Cote Ward led the Tigers' attack with three hits, three steals and three runs scored. Ward also had a RBI double. David Cameron went 2-for-3 with two RBIs while Justin Youngblood and Michael Scott both scored once.
Hartselle 9, Athens 2
The Tigers' Brandon Wallace improved to 6-5 with four innings of three-hit work on the mound. Wallace struck out four and walked no one. Chase Lusk followed with three innings of three hit relief. Lusk struck out six batters while allowing no runs.
Hunter Brasher was 1-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBIs to lead the Hartselle hitters. David Cameron, Logan Whitlow and Chris Kohlenberg each had one hit, scored once and drove in one run. Zack Smith, Michael Scott and Craig Womack had one hit each, Womack's hit was a double.
Hartselle 7, Athens 4
Chris Russell won for the second time this season with three innings of no-hit ball. Andrew Reeves threw three innings and allowed four hits and four runs. Seth Watson pitched the seventh inning and struck out two.
At the plate Justin Youngblood went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Chris Wiley scored one run and posted a RBI double. Ja'Cote Ward scored once and had a two-run single while Hunter Brasher, Michael Scott and David Cameron had one hit and one RBI each.
Craig Womack and Chris Kohlenberg also collected hits for the Tigers.
Colliersville, TN 4, Hartselle 2
The Tigers lost in the opening game of the USA tourney in Memphis, Tenn. Zack Andrews took the loss with six innings of eight hit pitching. He allowed three earned runs and struck out six. Ja'Cote Ward had a triple while Hunter Brasher had one hit and scored once for Hartselle. Seth Watson was 1-for-3 with a RBI while Brian Ellis, Craig Womack and Justin Hargett each collected one hit. The Tigers had two base runners picked off and two more thrown out at the plate.
Hartselle 4, Cordova, TN 3
Heath Tapscott ran his record to 3-0 with 6 1/3 innings of four-hit ball. Tapscott struck out five and walked one as he allowed only one earned run. Ja'Cote Ward went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs while Chris Wiley had a RBI double. Chris Kohlenberg, Seth Watson and Logan Whitlow all had one hit for the Tigers.
Houston, TN 5, Hartselle 4
Brandon Wallace took the loss and fell to 6-6 on the season. Wallace did not allow an earned run. Errors and a grand slam accounted for five Houston runs in the third inning.
Wallace struck out four and four walks and was relieved by Seth Watson who threw three innings and allowed one hit and no runs. Craig Womack went 3-for-4 with one run scored while Hunter Brasher collected a triple. Chris Kohlenberg had a hit and a RBI while Chris Wiley collected a two-run double in the sixth inning to draw the Tigers within one run.
Hartselle 9, Woodstock, GA 7
Andrew Reeves picked up the win to improve to 3-1 this season as he threw four innings.
Reeves allowed five hits and six runs while striking out six. Chase Lusk pitched 1 2/3 innings and allowed two hits and struck out two while Zack Andrews picked up the save with 1 1/3 innings of relief. Andrews came in with two outs in the sixth inning to face a bases loaded situation and struck out the first batter to end the frame.
David Cameron led the Tigers at the plate with a 3-for-3 day scoring twice and driving in one run. Josh Walters went 2-for-2 with two RBIs while Michael Scott had a two-RBI triple. Justin Hargett, Brian Ellis, Seth Watson, Andrew Thompson, Kevin Clark, Craig Womack and Chris Berry also collected Hartselle base hits. Berry and Clark had doubles.
The Tigers are now 26-13 on the season and will play April 21 in the sub-state playoffs. The site and opponent were yet to be determined at press time.