Rebels prevail in wild playoff series
The Vestavia Hills High School baseball team certainly has a flair for the dramatic if the last two weeks are any indication. Just to qualify for the Class 7A playoffs, the Rebels were forced to sweep a doubleheader against Thompson to claim the second playoff spot from Area 5.
They did that, and matched the excitement in their first round playoff series win over Sparkman over the weekend.
Game 1: Sparkman 7, Vestavia Hills 6
The Rebels jumped out ahead in the first game, scoring three runs in the first inning on a Colton Lewis two-run double and Will Hoffman RBI single. They added additional runs in the second and fourth innings and held a 5-0 edge after five innings before the downward spiral began.
Sparkman got on the board with a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth, then tied the game in the seventh on back-to-back homers. Even after going down, Vestavia fought back in the eighth inning to plate a run, but two walks and two singles plated a pair of Sparkman runs, as the Senators walked off 7-6 winners.
Lewis started on the mound for the Rebels, and allowed just two runs on six hits in five innings of work.
Game 2: Vestavia Hills 9, Sparkman 5
Not shaken by the loss in Game 1, the Rebels pounded Sparkman in the early going of Game 2, and took an 8-0 lead after five innings.
Things got a little dicey in the sixth inning, as Sparkman plated five runs in a big inning, but Vestavia added one back in the bottom half and held on for the 9-5 victory.
Starting pitcher Caden Lemons was scoreless through five innings, but allowed four runs on five hits overall in his 5 2/3 innings of work.
Game 3: Vestavia Hills 7, Sparkman 6
In the decisive game, the Rebels jumped on top with DJ Steele's RBI double to make it 1-0 in the first inning. In the bottom of the third, they extended their lead, as Christian Cusimano knocked in a run and Colton Lewis drove in two on his double to make it 4-0.
However, Sparkman got all four runs back in the fifth on a single and a three-run home run and the Senators took the lead in the sixth on back-to-back run-scoring doubles to make it 6-4.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Andrew Knight cut the Sparkman lead to 6-5 with his RBI single.
Steele came through big again in the seventh, as he led off the inning with a game-tying homer. The Rebels would then load the bases with one out on a single, walk and error. William Schaffeld then hit a ground ball to the left side of the infield. The third baseman came home with the throw, but Lewis beat the throw to the plate, sending the Rebels home happy winners.
Josh Stevens started the game and went five innings. Garrison Cherry got the win, as he threw the final two innings.