Hartselle’s Kaleb Jones slides safely into home in the Tigers’ 12-0 win Saturday against West Point. The Tigers are 3-0 in area play. | Brent Maze

Some key hitting and good pitching by Hartselle starter Colby Nelson helped No. 6 Hartselle (22-11) earn a key 3-1 victory over West Point Saturday afternoon at Reuben Sims Field.

The Tigers were just one win away from clinching a playoff berth before Tuesday’s doubleheader at West Point. If the Tigers won that game, Hartselle would be tied with No. 5 Cullman for first place in the area.

“This was a big one for us today,” said coach William Booth after the game Saturday. “An area game against a very good West Point team. It’s a big boost heading into a difficult week for us.”

The Tigers are playing eight games on its spring break beginning with Hillcrest and West Point for doubleheaders on Monday and then four tough games on Friday and Saturday against three tough Tennessee teams and Central-Phenix City, which is coach by former Hartselle assistant Chris Heaps.

Nelson (4-3) was outstanding in the win, allowing just one hit and one unearned run in seven innings of work.

The Tigers scored all of its runs in the fifth inning. Deacon Aldridge reached on an error, which allowed the first run to score. Then Brett Blackwood got an RBI base hit that gave the Tigers the insurance it needed.

Colton Ord led the team with a 2-for-2 performance. Chris Brown, Dax Gillespie and Kaleb Jones all had hits in the win.

“Their pitcher was really good in the first game,” Booth said. “We just had big hit from Blackwood in the game that really got us going.”

The Tigers then took the second game of the afternoon 12-0 in just five innings. Todd Gibson (2-3) pitched a one-hitter with four strikeouts.

Blackwood was 2-for-2 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Brown was 2-for-3 with a run and 2 RBIs. Aldridge finished with a hit, two runs, and a stolen base.

Austin Spangler added a hit and two runs. Gillespie had a hit and two RBIs. Blake Slayton was 1-for-1 while Jones was 1-for-2.