High School Baseball Recap: Bryant Durbin Leads Baker to Victory Over Mary G. Montgomery
Bryant Durbin pitched a complete game Thursday night as No. 5 Baker opened a key Class 7A, Area 1 series with a 4-0 win at rival Mary G. Montgomery in Semmes. Durbin allowed 2 hits in 7 innings, walking 3 and striking out 2. Cody Strickhausen allowed 4 runs on 6 hits in a complete-game effort for the Vikings.
Baker third baseman Camden Payne drove in two runs, and Auburn University commitment Connor Gatwood also had an RBI. Justin Friend and Brody Tuinder had the Vikings’ hits. The Hornets improved to 22-4 on the year, while Mary Montgomery fell to 19-7. The three-game series continues on Friday at Baker.
In other high school spring sports action this week, Spanish Fort defeated McGill-Toolen 13-3. John Henry Winstead had a 4-hit day to lead the Toros to victory. Nemo Hixon went 3-for-3 with a double, and Grant Howard added 2 doubles. Ethan Kick picked up the win on the mound, pushing his record to 4-0.
Bayside Academy held off Gulf Shores in a battle of top 10 teams played at the Pensacola Blue Wahoos Stadium, winning 4-2. Gulf Shores, ranked No. 1 in Class 5A, faced off against Bayside, ranked No. 2 in 4A. Noah Cain, Gatlin Pitts, Cole Dean, and Weston Hannaman all drove in runs for the Admirals. Tait Moore went 3-for-3. Carson Joyner, Teague Broadhead, and Dean each pitched 2 innings, with Pitts pitching the final inning.
Faith Academy, ranked No. 4 in Class 6A, scored 6 runs in the first inning and continued to dominate in an Area 1 series-opening rout of Murphy, winning 19-4. Eli Driskell struck out 10 and didn’t allow a hit in 3.1 innings to get the win. Gavin Prewitt was 3-for-3 with 3 RBIs, while Keith Ceasor and Bryce Turner drove in 2 runs each. Faith finished with 11 hits to Murphy’s 1, with Bobby Lewis having the Panthers’ only hit.
Huntsville beat Sparkman 1-0 in 9 innings, with Chase Cartron driving in the game-winning run and pitching 7 shutout innings. The Crimson Panthers improved to 17-13 on the season. Huntsville will close out the area double-header against ninth-ranked Sparkman on Friday.
Madison Academy defeated Huntsville 9-7, with Brayden Gardner going 1-for-3 with a triple and 4 RBIs. Shane Duke, the starting pitcher, drove in a pair of runs with a sacrifice. Keaton Watson got the win in relief of Duke, pitching 4 scoreless innings.
Athens Bible edged past Skyline in 10 innings, with Luke Murrell and Ethan Johnson combining to pitch a 1-hitter. Murrell struck out 14 in 6.2 innings, allowing a hit and a run with a walk. Johnson worked 3.1 innings and struck out 4 with a walk. Grant Ogles had a pair of singles and a stolen base, while Ryan Faust, Gavin Butler, and Sam Hall all had singles for the Trojans.
In Birmingham, Hewitt-Trussville topped Spain Park 10-7, with Cooper Huffman earning the win on the mound. Steele Hall had a pair of doubles and 3 RBIs for the Huskies. Brett Moseley, Christian Helmers, and Rob Wright also contributed to the win.
Central-Phenix City defeated Auburn 11-5, improving to 29-1 on the season. Landon Beaver went 3-for-3 with a triple, 3 RBIs, and 2 runs scored. Cason Page and Sam Brown drove in 2 runs each for the Red Devils.
In girls’ softball, Columbia clinched the Class 3A, Area 4 regular-season title with a 5-1 win over Excel. Zion Howard struck out 8 batters in 7 innings to earn the win. Mardie Carpenter, Ryleigh McConnell, and Denaijah Scott each had an RBI for the Tigers.
Prattville Christian blanked Montgomery Catholic 2-0, with Laura Beth NeSmith pitching a shutout on 1 hit with 10 strikeouts. Peyton Thrash and Chloe Hollon drove in runs for PCA.
In soccer, Hoover defeated Vestavia Hills 3-0, with Abby Leader and Elise Marquardt scoring in the first half. Marquardt added another goal in the second half to secure the win for the Bucs.
Montgomery Academy edged out St. James 2-1, with Sophia Cho scoring the game-winner with 1 second left. Madison Yi scored the Eagles’ first goal.
In tennis, Montgomery Academy swept Trinity 9-0, with Gabby Barrera, Mae Mae Voltz, Lola Campbell, Marianna Lassner, Mary Surhea White, and Alyssa Kaplan winning their singles matches. The Eagles also won all three doubles matches.
Center Point won the Magic City High School Invitational, outscoring Clay-Chalkville and McAdory. Jeremiah Franklin, Roderick Alexander, and Jihad Muhammad were among the top performers for Center Point.
Overall, it was an action-packed week in high school sports, with several exciting matchups and standout performances across various sports.