After rallying to the tie series at 1-1 with a 13-3 nightcap victory on Friday, April 22, Coosa Christian came up short to Hackleburg, 13-3, in the deciding third game on Saturday, April 23, in the first round of the Class 1A state baseball playoffs.
The Conquerors (10-18-1) fell behind 6-1 in the first innings of Game 3 before drawing within three runs in the third. But Coosa failed to score again, and the Panthers notched five runs in the bottom of the fourth and two more in the fifth and sixth to secure the win and advance to the second round.
Hackleburg starter Aydan Beard went the distance to earn the win. He shut down the Conqueror offense over the final three innings in allowing not hits and two baserunners. He walked one and struck out 11, including five of the final six Coosa batters.
For the Conquerors at the plate, Thomas Skaggs went 2-for-3 with three RBI, while John David Justus went 2-for-2 with a double and two runs score.
Coosa opened the series with a 9-3 loss on April 22. The Conquerors tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the fifth before the hosts scored one run the bottom of the inning and five more in the fifth.
After Justus got Coosa on the scoreboard on the top of the fourth with a steal of home, Skaggs plated Blaine West with an RBI single to cut the deficit to 3-2. Justus then singled in Bradon Hammonds to tie it up.
But that was the extent of the Coosa offense, as Panthers starter Trett Irvin fanned six of the last weight batters he faced. In seven innings, Irvin scattered three hits, two earned runs and five walks while striking out 12.
Justus went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored, while Skaggs had a hit and an RBI.
Conquerors push Hackleburg to deciding Game 3
