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By Carey Reeder | Staff Writer

Chilton County High School won its third-straight Chilton County Baseball Tournament title taking down Verbena High School in the final 13-1 on March 11. The Tigers exploded for 12 runs in the first inning punctuated by Tre Fulmer’s three-run home run.

“I thought we played well,” CCHS coach Ryan Ellison said. “We came out, especially today, and hit the ball well. We had good pitching the whole time, and it was a good team win. Everybody when their name was called was ready to go in and get it done. That is a characteristic of a good team, and that is what we did.”

Brody Pierce and Colton Brock were each 2-for-2 at the plate, and each had a double in the game. Pierce knocked across two RBIs.

Verbena got a run in the bottom half of the first inning, but could not overcome the early hole CCHS put them in.

“I thought we played well and came through with some clutch hits (throughout the day),” Verbena coach Allen Brothers said. “We were going through records, and we have never made it to a county championship game. Just to beat (Jemison) … Fighting through adversity in that game and being able to finish it was really big. I am really proud of the guys and the way they are growing as a team.”

CCHS pitching gave up one hit to Verbena in the final, and the Red Devils Luke Connell was the beneficiary.

“Winning the county tournament is a goal of ours,” Ellison said. “We have been able to accomplish that, and we are proud of the guys for coming out and playing hard for it.”

 

Verbena High School vs. Jemison High School

Verbena outlasted Jemison High School in extra innings 4-3 to punch their ticket to the county championship game. The Red Devils got big pitching performances starting with Christopher Guzman, who got the start and went four innings giving up two runs (one earned) and struck out six Jemison hitters. Alan Martinez and Jarod Quinn each worked two innings to navigate Verbena through the game and held Jemison to three hits combined.

Jemison had just four hits but was aided by 10 walks by Verbena pitchers. The Panthers got on the board first in the second inning before Quinn launched a two-run home run in the fourth inning to give Verbena a 2-1 lead. Jemison’s Tucker Bean knocked an RBI single in the bottom half of the fourth inning to tie the game at two. Alex Bice had an RBI single in the fifth inning to give Jemison the 3-2 lead. Bean was 2-for-3 with two walks.

Down to their last out in the seventh inning, Verbena’s Jacob Morris knocked an RBI single to right field to plate the tying run and send the game to extra innings. Quinn’s sacrifice fly in the top half of the eighth inning was enough to push Verbena to the win. Johnathan Marino was 2-for-4 for the Red Devils.

 

Chilton County High School vs. Maplesville

CCHS needed to beat Maplesville High School to set up a 2-0 matchup for the county title, and the Tigers did just that, winning 11-3. Maplesville jumped ahead early 3-0 after CCHS walked the first three batters of the game to load the bases. However, their lead evaporated in the bottom half of the first inning as CCHS scored three runs of their own to tie the game.

The Tigers jumped ahead in the second inning with four runs, culminated by a two-run home run by Cannon Miller to lead 7-3. Miller was 3-for-4 with a double and the home run and had four RBIs. Fulmer had three RBIs, and Pierce went 2-for-4.

Corey Minor took over in the first inning in relief and righted the ship for the Tigers on the mound, throwing five innings giving up six hits and no runs and striking out six Maplesville hitters.

 

Thorsby High School vs. Isabella High School

Thorsby High School beat Isabella High School 6-3 in a consolation game that started day two play on March 11. The Mustangs outhit the Rebels 7-2, but errors plagued Isabella leading to four unearned runs for Thorsby.

Dawson Edwards led the way for Isabella going 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI. Braylon Carroll and J.T. Green collected the two hits for Thorsby.

 

2023 Chilton County Baseball All-Tournament Team

Aidan Bee, Chilton County High School, Sr.

Cannon Miller, Chilton County High School, Sr.

Tre Fulmer, Chilton County High School, Sr.

Dawson Edwards, Isabella High School, Jr.

Zac Chapman, Isabella High School, Sr.

Tyler Mims, Isabella High School, Jr.

Tyler Porter, Jemison High School, Sr.

Tucker Bean, Jemison High School, Sr.

Alex Bice, Jemison High School, Jr.

Gavin Edwards, Thorsby High School, Fr.

Braylon Carroll, Thorsby High School, Fr.

Aiden Seeley, Thorsby High School, So.

Bradlee Padgett, Maplesville High School, Jr.

Jacobe Nix, Maplesville High School, Jr.

Jake Carlee, Maplesville High School, Fr.

Chris Guzman, Verbena High School, Jr.

Johnathan Marino, Verbena High School, Sr.

Jarod Quinn, Verbena High School, Sr.