By Brandon Sumrall | Special to the Advertiser

For the first time since 1980, Chilton County High School’s baseball team has won back-to-back area championships.

Needing one win to secure first place over area runner-up Sylacauga, the Tigers beat the Talladega Tigers in game one of a double header, 8-3, on April 10.

CCHS was far from done for the evening, as they would score early and score often going on to beat Talladega in Game 2, 14-2.

After a scoreless first inning by Talladega, Cameron Cummings started things off with a bang for the Tigers by sending a shot over the right field wall for a lead off home run to kick off a five-run inning for the Tigers.

A Garrett Deavers single scored Craig Headley, who reached on an infield error, and a Grant Deavers double scored J.D. Minor and Deavers.

A Tyler Crowson double to right center scored Deavers, giving the Tigers an early 5-0 lead.

J.P. Ratliff and the Tiger defense allowed two base runners in the top of the second but would not give up a run.

Meanwhile, everyone for the Tigers had a warm bat in the bottom half of the second inning as the Tigers put up nine more runs.

Blake Teel and Headley got the inning started with back-to-back doubles, the latter of which scored Teel.

A Garren Minor single scored Headley, and a Headley double scored Minor. A Crowson single scored Deavers, and a Blake Teel double scored Crowson and Hunter McDaniel, who was pinch running for Colby Ramsey.

Headley capped off the inning with an inside-the-park home run.

With a 14-0 second inning lead and the area championship in their pockets, the Tigers began to pull their seniors to a rousing ovation from the home crowd for each.

The visiting Tigers would go on to score two runs, one in the top of the fourth and one in the top of the fifth, but Chilton County brought and end to the game in the top of the fifth due to the 10-run mercy rule, 14-2.

Ratliff, Evan Moatts, Dalton Green and Epi Sosa combined pitching duties for the Tigers, racking up eight strikeouts while allowing five hits, two walks and two runs.

Several Tigers had good nights at the plate: Headley went 2-for-3 with a double, home run and four runs batted in; Teel was 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI; Cummings was 2-for-3 with a home run, single and RBI; and Crowson was 2-for-2 with a single, double and two RBI.

The Tigers will have a much-needed break until the April 19 when they will host Briarwood in the first round of the state Class 5A playoffs.