Caleb Suggs

Hartselle Enquirer

It took two days to complete the first game of the area series between Hartselle and Austin thanks to Mother Nature, and the delay didn’t benefit the Tigers at all.

When Cullman moved out of Hartselle’s area this year, many thought this would benefit the Tigers and the Decatur Red Raiders. Per AHSAA rules, only two teams can make the playoffs out of an area. This rule hurt the Raiders last year as they were left out of the playoffs despite being the third ranked team in the state (Hartselle and Cullman were the top two). Therefore, the initial belief this year was that the two-playoff spots would be Decatur and Hartselle’s for the taking. However, the Austin Black Bears have gone through a renaissance in their program and have staked a claim to a playoff spot making the first area series one of ultra importance.

Hartselle started the game with back-to-back hits, but a runner caught trying to steal left them with just one on. Hartselle grounded out twice to end the inning without a score. After a three up and three down inning for Austin, Hartselle got two runners on when Chuck Ord singled and Grayson Bray reached on error but again failed to score either.

Austin got on the board first when Samuel Watkins scored on an error. Another error by the Tigers allowed two more runners to score and gave the Black Bears a 3-0 lead. Pitcher Brady Netherton got out of the inning when he forced to fly outs. After getting two more on with no score in the third, Hartselle finally got on the board in the fourth. The Tigers loaded the bases when Riley Wood hit a single to drive in Ord and cut the lead to 3-1. However, that was when the weather hit. Rain and hail canceled the game and forced them to reschedule for the next day.

When the two teams came back the next day, Austin took complete control. The Black Bears reeled off six runs in the bottom of the fourth off four hits and three errors by Hartselle. Austin went on to win the game 13-3.

Riley Wood led the Tigers in this game with two hits. Brady Netherton took the loss. Netherton only threw for three innings, but because of the pitch count rule he was unable to continue when the game was restarted.

Hartselle will face Austin in a doubleheader on Thursday March 23. The Tigers will have to win both games over the Black Bears to win the series.