Nationals pick up two wins in state tourney
By Staff
The Hartselle 9 and 10 National team was still competing for the state championship as of deadline Tuesday. See next week's edition of The Hartselle Enquirer for more coverage.
Nick Johnston, Hartselle Enquirer
OXFORD – Pitching and defense are what the Hartselle National 9 and 10 All-Stars are known for.
Last Saturday night, hitting may have been added to the board.
Hartselle destroyed Ozark 19-2, setting a state record for most runs scored in the state tournament, and followed up Sunday with a 4-1 win against Taylorville.
As of press time Tuesday, Hartselle was taking on the highly-touted Auburn team who has had big wins against its first two opponents, also.
Hartselle 19, Ozark 2
Game 1
Hartselle needed just four innings to win.
Corey Holladay pitched the first two innings earned the opening-game victory. He allowed two hits and struck out one.
Hartselle scored 19 runs but only had eight hits. Ozark committed nine errors leading to several unearned runs.
Hartselle scored every inning, going ahead 1-0 in the first, 3-0 in the second, 11-0 in the third and 19-0 in the fourth. Ozark scored its two runs in the final inning.
Seth Wiley went 1 for 3 and scored three times due to walks and errors, Will Swann went 2 for 3 and scored twice, while Chance Partlow went 2 for 3 with one run scored.
Jackson Reeves, Will Lang and Zack Alred also had hits.
Hartselle 4, Taylorville 1
Game 2
Jacob Garrison brought an otherwise stagnant offense to life in the fifth inning.
With Hartselle tied 1-all with Taylorville, Garrison ripped a double to the fence, scoring Austin Dupper from second, and preserved a second round win for the Nationals.
Relief pitcher Jake Hartsell kept Taylorville from scoring the rest of the way and earned the win. Hartsell allowed no runs on two hits and struck out one.
Zack Alred doubled home Garrison and Hartselle later in the fifth for insurance.
At the plate, Dupper and Garrison went 1 for 2 and scored one run each. Will Lang and Hartsell did not have a hit but did manage to score runs.
Seth Wiley and Chance Partlow added hits.
