Patriots win opening game in series with Florence
MADISON – Bob Jones and Florence squared off Tuesday in game one of a key 7A, Area 8, series. Both teams have rosters filled with college prospects. No fewer than eight current Division 1 commits were on the field, with multiple other signees and commits on both teams.
The action on the field did not disappoint as Bob Jones escaped with a close 8-7 win.
Both teams got quality outings on the mound. Florence starter Cade Henry went over innings and did a nice job of making big pitches on the night. He scattered 11 Bob Jones hits, allowing seven runs while only issuing one walk and striking out four.
Bob Jones countered with Cam Hill, who also went over five innings, allowing eight hits and six runs. Hill issued two walks and struck out three.
Henry is the #23 in the state ’20 class while Hill comes in at #10.
William Conrad relieved Henry and was the tough luck loser. He went one and two-third innings, allowing two hits and one earned run. He did not issue a walk and struck out one.
Caden Rose relieved Hill and worked one and one-third innings on the mound, allowing two hits and one unearned run. He struck out one and issued one walk.
Rose is the # 3 player in the state ’20 rankings.
Junior Sam Maynard would come on in relief of Rose and recorded the final two outs of seventh inning, stranding two runners on the base paths. Maynard struck out one hitter and was credited with the win for the Patriots.
Florence started the scoring in the top of the first inning with RBI singles from Zeke Bishop and Cason Henry. Florence would add to their lead in the second inning as Brantley Holden would score another run on a drag bunt base hit.
In the fourth, Florence made it 4-0 as Austin Stanfield lifted a home run over the wall in left field. Bob Jones would cut the lead to 4-3 in the home half of the fourth. Colten Carver had a two RBI single and would later score on Logan Hittle’s two out RBI double.
Bob Jones would knot things up in the fifth as Hill singed and drove in Rose, who began the inning with a double. Florence retook the lead 7-4 in the sixth inning as sophomore Parker White doubled, driving in two runs.
White would later score on an RBI groundout as Austin Stanfield collected another RBI.
Bob Jones immediately answered back in the bottom half of the sixth and tied things back up at seven apiece.
Rose grounding into a fielder’s choice, scoring Carver, who reached on an error to start the inning. Tyler Jones scored on a ground-out off of the bat of Hill, and Rose came around to score on errant throw and tie things up headed to the seventh.
Florence had two men on with one out in the seventh, but was unable to score, setting the stage for Carver’s walk off with two out in the seventh.
Dylan Ray (#1 player in the AL ’20 class) led off the seventh with a double. Two quick outs brought Carver to the plate and he delivered a single up the middle, scoring Ray from 2B for the game winner.
Games two and three will be Thursday, April 9 at Florence High School. Bob Jones is expected to start Austin East, a UAH signee, while Florence will counter with Grant Taylor, an LSU commit.
East is the #35 player in our 2019 state rankings while Taylor is the #1 player in Alabama in the 2021 class, and ranked #8 nationally.
