Will Foote celebrates after singling to drive in the winning run in Saturday’s game vs. Cullman. | Tom Chappell

Hartselle defeats Cullman to end the winning streak and force game three.

Caleb Suggs

Hartselle Enquirer

The stakes couldn’t have been higher in the second game of round two of AHSAA baseball playoffs between #1 Cullman and #2 Hartselle. All the pressure was on the Tigers, as they needed to win in order to stay alive in the playoffs after dropping game one. The Tigers also had to deal with the fact they the Bearcats now held an 18 game win streak over Hartselle and the Tigers were in serious trouble of being eliminated from the playoffs by Cullman for the third straight year in a row. Hartselle and Cullman have long been considered the true blue bloods of high school baseball in Alabama, as the two schools hold a combined 12 state championships, eight for Hartselle and four for Cullman, since 1990 which only adds to the fire of their intense rivalry. Championship implications were on the line in this game as the two squads have met in the playoffs every year since 2012 and each year, except for 2012, the winner went on to represent the north in the AHSAA state championship, with two winners going on to win titles. The game had all the makings to be one of the wildest roller coasters rides ever, and fans buckled up for the ride.

Early on, it looked like big trouble for Hartselle as Cullman loaded the bases with 2 outs. However, Brady Netherton would pitch his way out to escape without any damage. Cullman would put the heat on Netherton again in the second inning by putting two runners on base with just one out, but again Netherton would escape trouble by retiring the next two batters to end the inning.

Despite all the offense by Cullman, it would be Hartselle that would get the first points on the board in the third inning. After singles by Riley Wood and Will Foote, Hayden Bradford would come up to the plate and knock a line drive to drive in Wood and put Hartselle up 1-0.

Cullman would get back on top in the fourth 2-1 thanks to a single by Trent Price and a triple by Colby Robinson.

Hartselle would gain their momentum back in the bottom of the fifth. Thanks to a walk and two singles by Wood and Connor Burks would allow James Edde to score and tie the game 2-2 with just one out. However, Cullman would manage to end the inning with a double play to escape any further damage.

Hartselle would have the chance to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth when they loaded the bases when Hayden Bradford, Collin Blackwood and Zeth Malcolm all reached base with no outs. However, Cullman would pull a double play at first and home to record two outs. The Bearcats would force a ground out to end the inning and the threat of a score.

After recording three quick outs in the top of the seventh, junior pitcher Brady Netherton would gather his teammates in front of the dugout and his message, this was there time and there moment.

The inning would get off to a rough start as Cullman recorded two quick outs. However, thanks to a walk and a double by Will Foote the Tigers would put runners on second and third which would bring up Hayden Bradford who had blasted a homerun earlier in the day. The Bearcats would opt to intentionally walk Bradford to load the bases, which would bring up Collin Blackwood who was the hero of the first round playoff games. However, Cullman would force a ground out to send the game into extra innings. Brady Netherton would continue his great game of pitching by recording six straight outs in the top of the eighth and ninth.

Hartselle would head into the bottom of the ninth inning with a chance to win the game. The Tigers would put two runners on thanks to a walk and an error. Hartselle would then opt to put all their eggs in the basket in this inning as they sent in a pinch runner for first baseman Austin Parker who had already been pinch ran for which meant he would not be allowed to re-enter the game. However, it wouldn’t matter, as Will Foote would single to left field to allow Ben Kimbrough to score and give the Tigers the win 3-2.

After the game-winning pitcher, Brady Netherton was overcome with what had just taken place. “Man I’m feeling good and the streak is finally over,” Netherton said. “Now we just have to focus and get back at it in game three.” Senior Hayden Bradford knows that it’s not over just yet. “This is nice but we still have to get them in game three so we have to refocus and get back out there.”