Photo: Glencoe High’s Nolan Fairley delivers a pitch during the Yellow Jackets’ 18-6 loss to Hanceville in the first round of the Class 3A state baseball playoff last Tuesday (Apr. 23). (Gary Wells)
By Mike Goodson/Sports Correspondent
The Glencoe High baseball program’s first postseason appearance in several years came to an end last Tuesday (Apr. 23).
Facing Hanceville in a deciding third game of a best-of-three Class 3A first round playoff series, the Yellow Jackets came up short by a score of 18-6 to end their season at 11-11. Hanceville host No. 6 Phil Campbell (29-6) on Friday (Arp. 26).
Hanceville (14-8) led 7-6 after three innings before scoring the final 11 runs of the game, including sis in the top of the seventh inning.
Ashton James took the win for Hanceville, allowing five hits and four unearned runs in five and one-third innings. He struck out three and walked five. Coming in relief, Ephram Milne scattered one hit, two strikeouts and two walks in one and two-third innings.
The two teams split a double header on Monday (Apr. 22). Glencoe took the opener, 10-0, in five innings behind a stellar pitching performance of Cam Harris. The junior allowed just one hit while striking out 11 in seven innings. The Yellow Jackets scored five runs in the first inning, three in the fourth and two more in the fifth end the game on the 10-run mercy rule. Cam Harris pitched a one hitter for Glencoe.
Bryan Benefield led off the game with a hit, followed by a Colton Stone walk. Harris followed up with an RBI single. Alex Pointer and Collin Hardy were both hit by pitches and Reed Holbrooks stroked a single. Julian Bethel reached base on a fielder’s choice and Carson Naylor punched through a base hit to close out the first inning scoring at 5-0.
The Yellow Jackets added three runs in the fourth inning on hits by Harris, Pointer, Hardy and Holbrooks. Glencoe tacked on a run in the fifth on a single by Benefield and a wild pitch.
Despite managing only two hits, Hanceville won the second game by a score of 8-3. The Bulldogs did not get their first hit until the fourth inning, but that lack of offense was supplemented by nine walks, helping the visitors take a 3-0 lead. Glencoe put together a small rally in the top of the seventh and cut the lead to 8-3, but it was too little too and late and the Bulldogs held on for the win.
