Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia Hills' Mary Sanders James (20) hits the ball during a game between Oxford and Vestavia Hills on Wednesday, April 17,, 2019, at the Vestavia Hills Softball Complex.
Over the course of the year, Vestavia Voice will keep you up to date on the various Vestavia Hills High School athletic teams. For previous weekly updates, click here.
BASEBALL
The Vestavia Hills baseball team secured its state playoffs berth with a 4-3 walk-off win over area foe Spain Park on Tuesday evening. Colton Lewis singled to score Ben Saway in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Rebels to the win. Lewis allowed three runs (one earned) in 4 1/3 innings on the mound as well, with Grant Cherry and Graham Duncan combining for 3 2/3 scoreless innings of relief. John Poist was 3-for-3 with an RBI for the Jags. Eli Copenhaver pitched six innings for Spain Park, allowing three runs (two earned) on one hit.
Spain Park capped off the area schedule on Wednesday by picking up its first area win, a 2-1 victory over Vestavia Hills. The Jags struck for a run in the first and responded with another run after the Rebels tied the game in the fourth inning. Lane Willis went 2-for-2 with an RBI for the Jags and Linden Samaha went the full seven innings, allowing four hits, one run, one walk and struck out four. Garrison Cherry was solid on the mound for the Rebels as well, as he allowed two runs on five hits and fanned nine.
This week, the Rebels play at Hoover in the first round of the Class 7A playoffs, with play set to begin Friday afternoon.
SOFTBALL
The Hewitt-Trussville softball team earned an area win last Monday, as the Huskies defeated Vestavia Hills 9-1. Anyce Harvey drove in three runs for the Huskies and Molly Cobb went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Cobb also started in the circle, allowing just two hits and striking out 11 in five innings of work.
Vestavia Hills celebrated its seniors in a big way on Wednesday, as the Rebels defeated Oxford 11-3 on senior night. The Rebels honored seniors Hannah Grace Roden, Emma Shofner, Mary Emma Davidson and Mary Sanders James before and during the contest. Nikki Hammond hit a grand slam in the fifth inning and Gwynnie Hornibrook hit a two-run homer as part of a six-run second inning. Roden drove in two runs in the game as well.
This week, the Rebels wrap up the regular season with road trips to Chelsea on Tuesday and Moody on Thursday before competing in Slocomb’s tournament over the weekend.
TENNIS
The Vestavia Hills girls tennis team advanced to the state tournament with a second-place finish at the Class 7A, Section 3 tournament last Monday at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex.
The boys claimed the top spot on Tuesday to also advance to the state tournament. The Rebels tallied 47 points to win the event, ahead of Mountain Brook’s 31 points, as the top two teams qualified for state.
The 7A state tournament is set for Monday and Tuesday at the Jimmy Johns Tennis Center in Decatur.
SOCCER
The Vestavia Hills girls soccer team (18-0) blanked Mountain Brook 2-0 on Tuesday behind goals from Caroline Causey and Anna Grace Darty.
The Vestavia Hills boys (14-8-2) lost to a pair of teams from Tennessee last week. The Rebels fell 3-2 to Collierville on Tuesday and 3-2 to Christian Brothers on Wednesday.
— What else would you like to see mentioned? For any suggestions, feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnespublishing.com.
