The Reset: Rebels baseball suffers 1st loss
Over the course of the year, the Hoover Sun will keep you up to date on the various Hoover and Spain Park high school athletic teams. For previous weekly updates, click here.
BASEBALL
The Hoover baseball team handed Vestavia Hills its first loss of the season last Tuesday, knocking off the Rebels 5-3. The Bucs scored four runs in the second inning, highlighted by Robby Ashford’s two-run double. Vestavia Hills got on the board in the fourth as Grant Cacace and Mason Maners were each hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The Rebels put the winning run on base in the seventh, but Daniel Swatek worked out of trouble to secure the Hoover win.
The Rebels dropped their second straight game on Wednesday, as they fell to Austin 8-3. Vestavia Hills tied the game at 3-3 in the fifth on a two-run triple from Ben Saway and a sacrifice fly by Maners, but Austin scored five more in the following two innings to pull away.
Vestavia Hills split a doubleheader with Thompson on Friday, with the Warriors winning the first game 10-7. Thompson jumped out to a 5-0 lead, and the Rebels were never able to draw even. Maners and Eric Schroeder each drove home three runs in the game. The Rebels jumped out to ab early lead in the second game, as they ran to a 9-3 victory. Grant Cacace went 2-for-4 with a triple and four RBIs, while Saway had two hits and three RBIs.
SOFTBALL
The Vestavia Hills softball team was unable to hold onto its lead in an 8-6 loss to Gardendale on Wednesday. The Rebels jumped out to a 6-1 lead before Gardendale tied the contest with five runs in the fifth inning and won with a pair in the top of the seventh. For Vestavia, Mary Claire Wilson and Nikki Hammond each drove in two runs.
Vestavia Hills competed in the Oxford Spring Sting tournament over the weekend, advancing to the quarterfinals on Saturday. The Rebels began play on Friday with a pair of pool games, starting with a 6-2 loss to Central-Phenix City. They rebounded to notch a 7-0 victory over Central-Clay, as Hannah Grace Roden tallied three hits and two RBIs to lead the way. Gwynnie Hornibrook also had two RBIs. Charity Bibbs did not surrender a hit and struck out eight in her four innings in the circle.
The Rebels began play on Saturday with a 5-2 loss to Cleburne County, but then beat Wellborn 8-0 behind two-hit, two-RBI performances from Wilson and Mary Sanders James. Bibbs was stellar in the circle as well, allowing just two hits and striking out six in five innings. The Rebels then found a way to beat Oxford 9-4, opening up the lead with four runs in the fourth inning. Hornibrook and Bibbs each drove in a pair of runs. The Rebels’ day came to an end with an 11-0 loss to Spain Park.
SOCCER
The Vestavia Hills boys soccer team beat McCallie (Tenn.) 1-0 on Monday. Tony Shaw scored the game’s lone goal and was assisted by Brody Arrington.
The Rebels competed over the weekend at the Bob Sims Invitational in Atlanta, recording a pair of losses. They dropped a 3-0 decision to Whitefield Academy (Ga.) and a 3-0 decision to Bearden (Tenn.).
This week, the Rebels will play at Prattville on Tuesday, at Fort Payne on Wednesday and at home against McGill-Toolen on Saturday.
The Vestavia Hills girls improved to 11-0 on the season with a 6-0 victory over James Clemens on Friday. This week, they will host Oak Mountain on Tuesday and Mountain Brook on Thursday.
TRACK AND FIELD
The Vestavia Hills track and field teams competed at the Homewood Invitational on Saturday.
Caleb Huber (javelin), Jake Haston (pole vault) and Tyree Thigpen (long jump) all won events for the Vestavia Hills boys team.
TENNIS
The Vestavia Hills boys tennis team played four matches last week. On Tuesday, the Rebels swept area opponent Oak Mountain 9-0. Over the weekend, they traveled to Chattanooga, Tenn., for the DecoTurf High School Team Championships tournament and placed third in the D Division. On Friday, Vestavia defeated North Oldham (Ky.) 5-4, before Cardinal Gibbons (N.C.) handed the Rebels a 5-4 loss on Saturday. But the Rebels rebounded to defeat Cambridge (Ga.) 7-2 to conclude the tournament.
— What else would you like to see mentioned? For any suggestions, feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnespublishing.com.