Sports roundup: local teams advance in state playoffs

MADISON – Bob Jones continues its quest to repeat as baseball state champion with a rugged road challenge, Madison Academy is chasing its first trip to the baseball semifinals in three years and the Patriots’ boys soccer team is one win away from the state final four.

Those three teams are all in action Friday, but Madison Academy is the lone game in town with Lawrence County visiting for a Class 5A best-of-three series.

The Mustangs (33-6), ranked No. 3 at the end of the regular season by the Alabama Sports Writers Association, entertains the unranked Red Devils (26-10) for a doubleheader at 4 and 7 p.m. If needed, Game 3 is set for noon Saturday.

The two teams met in March with Madison Academy taking a doubleheader 12-2 (5 inn.), 5-0.

“We’re familiar with them, and we obviously didn’t see all the arms that they’ve thrown in the playoffs and in area play, but we have kind of gotten good scouting reports together,’’ Mustangs coach David Pressley said. “It’s a hot team, a team that’s gonna have a lot of confidence coming off beating Springville, so we know we’ll have our hands full when they come over here.’’

Meanwhile, 7A second-ranked Bob Jones (34-10) plays a baseball doubleheader on the road against top-ranked Hewitt-Trussville (33-2) at 4:30 and 7 p.m. If needed, Game 3 will be at 1 p.m. Saturday.

The Huskies have been front-runners in 7A all season, though the Patriots have stayed right behind in rankings.

The 7A playoffs started a week later than the other classes with fewer teams in that classification.

Hewitt Trussville got two complete from Christian Helmers and Hudson Mitchell, who both allowed two hits, in a 4-0, 5-1 sweep of Sparkman. Bob Jones advanced by defeating Thompson 2-6, 2-1, 7-6 (8 inn.).

Myles Hammonds, Tanner Hermesch, Dillon Adkins, Cam Martin all homered for the Patriots in the extra-inning finale. Hammonds’ solo shot was of the walk-off variety.

Also tonight at 7, Bob Jones (11-9-5) is at Grissom (15-7-4), ranked sixth in the final state Coaches’ Poll, in 7A boys soccer. The Patriots advanced with a 1-0 win over Huntsville, while the Tigers beat Florence 4-2 in the first round.

The Tigers come in with pedigree having won the second most state championships in Alabama boys history with nine, though it hasn’t won a title in 15 years.

The Patriots have never won a title, but the winner will move to within two wins of the cherished blue trophy at the state championships next week at John Hunt Park.

At Madison Academy, the postseason baseball numbers so far are impressive:

• Swept both Douglas 8-0, 5-0 and Leeds 5-0, 2-1 in the first two rounds.
• Pitching staff’s combined line is 4 GP, 28 IP, 12 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 9 BB, 34 K led by starters Jack Doyle (2, 13, 3, 0, 0, 4, 14) and Myles Johnson (2, 12, 7, 1, 1, 3, 12). Relievers Tee Foster (2, 2, 2, 0, 0, 0, 5) and Shane Duke (1, 0, 0, 0, 2, 3) have been lights out.
• Johnson hit two home runs and batted 3-for-7 with five RBIs and three runs scored in the first three wins to pace a balanced offense.
• When Leeds cooled the Mustangs in Game 2 last week, Keaton Watson and Noah Jarrell were clutch with solo home runs.

The winner advances to play either American Christian Academy or Scottsboro in the semifinals.

“It makes every moment bigger,’’ Pressley said. “You hope you play confident. We try to put them in different scenarios and that’s why you play so many games in a season. Hopefully the guys are comfortable and even keeled and excited for some moments.’’