Caleb Suggs

Hartselle Enquirer

The pressure was on for the Hartselle Tigers when they traveled to Madison Academy to take on the Mustangs last week. Their head coach William Booth was sitting at 999 wins and needed just one more win to set the record breaking milestone of 1,000 wins. However, the defending class 4A champions didn’t exactly lie down.

Hartselle took the lead first 1-0 in the top of the second when Cy Harris singled to drive in Austin Parker. Madison Academy tied the game in the bottom of the second 1-1. Hartselle took the lead back 2-1 when Garrett Wade stole home, but Mustangs again tied the game up. It could have been even worse for the Tigers as Madison Academy loaded the bases with just one out after tying the game at 2-2. However, pitcher Grayson Bray was able to record two outs to get the Tigers out of the inning.

Hartselle took the lead once again 4-2 in the fifth when Riley Wood singled to drive in Taylor Easterling and Matt James scored off a sacrifice fly out. The Tigers kept this lead until the bottom of the seventh when they needed just three outs for the win. Madison Academy started the inning with two singles before ace pitcher Brady Netherton came in try to finish the Mustangs off, but it didn’t work as Madison Academy managed to tie the game 4-4 to send it into extra innings.

Hartselle got the lead 6-4 in the top of the ninth when James scored off a Burks single and Wood off a Netherton single, which once again sent the Tigers to the bottom of an inning needing just three outs for the win. It didn’t look good for Hartselle as a bases loaded walk cut the lead to 6-5. However, relief pitcher James Edde was able to get the last out to secure the save and the win for Hartselle.

Afterwards, Hartselle’s Booth gave a response to how he felt about his 1,000 win in a way that only he could. “I don’t really know yet.” Booth said. “We almost destroyed ourselves with errors. I almost had a stroke.”

Burks led the Tigers with two RBIs while Matt James led with two hits.

Hartselle 4, Madison Academy 2.

Hartselle got the second win over the Mustangs in the double-header thanks to a three run seventh inning. Grayson Bray drove in two runs during the game. Eric Stephenson got the win as he pitched a complete game. He allowed four hits and two runs while pitching seven strikeouts.