Hartselle splits pair at Hoover Classic

By By Todd Thompson, Hartselle Enquirer
HOOVER - Hartselle picked up a split in its first two games of the Hoover Buccaneer Classic Monday at Hoover High School, falling to Spain Park in the opener before beating Oxford.
The Tigers are now 6-14 overall after the split.
Spain Park 7, Hartselle 1
Dax Gillespie had two hits and drove in Hartselle’s only run in a 7-1 loss to Spain Park.
Hartselle finished with six hits against Spain Park starter Mark Abernathy, who had six strikeouts in the win.
Chris Ellis homered and drove in four runs to spark Spain Park’s offensive attack.
Ellis had a two-single that broke a 1-1 tie and added a two-run homer.
Hartselle 9, Oxford 6
Hartselle exploded for nine runs on 10 hits in the Hoover tournament.
Ryland Blankenship earned the win in relief, allowing just one run in three innings.
Ryan Joy hit a 3-run homer to spark a five-run fifth that gave the Tigers the lead for good.
John Roberts had three hits and drove in three runs, Zach Letson and Jackson Reeves had two hits each.
Letson drove in one run and Reeves added a pair of runs.
Andrew Hampton and Jax Gillespie added one hits each for the Tigers.
Austin Reeves allowed five runs in four innings before yielding to Blankenship.
Reeves allowed seven hits and struck out three batters.
Hartselle was scheduled to face Hoover and Pell City in the round-robin tournament Tuesday.