Nationals storm to state bid

By By Todd Thompson, Hartselle Enquirer
Hartselle Nationals’ perfect post-season run continued when the team scored three times in the bottom of the sixth inning to beat Hartselle Americans 13-12 in the district championship game at Sparkman Park.
The win sent the Nationals to the state tournament being held in Muscle Shoals this week.
Jordan Hartsell tripled and scored the winning run for the Nationals, who finished the tournament with a perfect record.
Members of the Hartselle Nationals are Connor Landers, Jack Hackett, Cy Harris, Jordan Hartsell, Skylar Holland, Will Howse, Nicolas Johnson, Ben Kimbrough, Austin Parker, Colton Quattlebaum, Will Stephenson and Jordan Thompson.
The Nationals are coached by Mike Landers, Nick Hackett and Shannon Parker.
Members of the Americans are Garrett Wade, Cody Tapscott, Trevor Oakes, Kyle Eddy, Connor Burks, Caleb Meyer, Blake Lowe, Chandler Stinson, James Edde, Andrew Nuss, Avery Mills and Houston Wright.
The Hartselle Americans were coached by Wade Oakes, Kevin Burks and Allen Tapscott.
The Nationals trailed 12-10 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, but Nic Johnson singled with one out and Jordan Thompson reached on an error to set up Hartsell’s game-winning hit.
Hartselle Nationals had 17 hits in the championship game with Colton Quattlebaum leading the attack with three hits - a pair of doubles and a single.
Connor Landers, Austin Parker, Skylar Holland and Johnson all finished with two hits, while Ben Kimbrough, Cy Harris, Will Howse, Will Stephenson, Thompson and Hartsell all had one hit each.
Caleb Meyer led the Hartselle Americans with three hits in the championship game. Trevor Oakes and Connor Burks had two hits each, while Cody Tapscott, Kyle Eddy, Blake Lowe, Chandler Stinson and Avery Mills chipped in with one hit each.
The Hartselle Americans, needing two wins to earn a spot in the state tournament, took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning with five hits.
The Americans later led 11-8 after scoring four runs in the top half of the fifth inning. Connor Burks singled in the inning and Caleb Meyer followed with a triple to cap the inning.
After the Nationals trimmed the gap to 11-10 with four runs in the bottom of the fifth, the Americans scored a run in the sixth when Andrew Nuss walked and later scored on an error on a ball hit by Avery Mills.