Early-season drama
- Updated: February 20, 2021
Pleasant Valley wins with seventh-inning rally; Ohatchee, Faith Christian both open their seasons with big wins
By East Alabama Sports Today
JACKSONVILLE – Pleasant Valley opened its season with a no-hitter on Thursday and followed it Friday with a dramatic, 9-8 seventh-inning victory over Cleburne County.
Dalton McElroy delivered a two-out, two-run bases-loaded single in the bottom of the seventh to produce the victory.
Almaroad doubled home the Raiders’ first run of the seventh. They loaded the bases for McElroy with a hit batsman and a walk.
McElroy finished with two hits and four RBIs. The hit also made him the winning pitcher as he was the second pitcher in relief of starter Pelham Parris in a six-run top seventh that gave the Tigers the lead.
Parris gave up only one earned run and struck out nine in his 6 2/3 innings of work.
Rustin Roberts had three hits and three RBIs for Cleburne County. Rico Brown had two hits, including the go-ahead two-run double in the seventh.
Cleburne County 000 002 6 – 8 8 0
Pleasant Valley 301 002 3 – 9 7 3
WP: Dalton McElroy. LP: Porter Embry. 2B: Matthew Brown (CC), Rico Jordan (CC), Garrett Cranmer (PV), Jackson Almaroad (PV), Pelham Parris (PV).
Ohatchee 15, Cherokee Co. 2
CENTRE – Ohatchee opened its season in a big way pounding out 13 hits and getting three pitchers to combine on a five-hitter.
Justin Powell and Trey Pesnell led the hitting attack with two hits and three RBIs each. Devin Howell had three hits and Jake Roberts had two.
Powell and Pesnell both had two-run doubles in the seven-run second inning that broke open the game. The Indians hit four doubles in the game.
Bryce Noah threw three innings of two-hit shutout ball as the starter, with Carson Tittle and Roberts each throwing an inning behind him.
Ohatchee 073 05 – 15 12 2
Cherokee Co. 000 11 – 2 5 3
WP: Bryce Noah. LP: Connor Wilson. 2B: Devin Howell (O), Trey Pesnell (O), Justin Powell (O), Jake Roberts (O), Connor Wilson (CC).
Faith Christian 13, Wadley 2
Andrew Folsom hit a two-run homer in the fourth and drove in five runs and Colton Pahman got his season off to a fast start with a five-inning complete game and 12 strikeouts.
Folsom, Brodie Dodson and Walker Whitworth all had three hits in the game. Whitworth and Pahman each drove in three. Seventh grader Parker Robertson drew three walks.
“We’re probably the only team in the world that started two seventh graders (the other as Kash Sharma), but they came ready to play,” Lions coach Jason Pahman said. “They didn’t know they were going to start until 10 minutes before first pitch. I didn’t want them looking like all the kids at Buc-ee’s with big eyes staring at all the candy and beef jerky. We had to have them focused and they did fine.”
Coach Pahman praised pitcher Pahman for handling the flow of the game and pitching at times under pressure. The pitcher struck out three in a row with runners on the corners in the second inning of a 2-0 game.
Faith hosts B.B. Comer and Anniston in a split doubleheader Saturday. The Lions will used the occasion for its 2020 Senior Day, because coach Jason Pahman believes it’s important to celebrate their special day on the field. They have invited their three seniors from last year’s COVID-shortened season and will recognize them before the second game.
Wadley 002 00 – 2 8 1
Faith 230 26 – 13 12 0
WP: Colton Pahman. LP: Jacob Marable. 2B: Colton Pahman (F), Brodie Dodson (F), Andrew Folsom (F). HR: Andrew Folsom (F).
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