SPANISH FORT – Chase Connell’s sixth-inning grand slam rallied the Trojans but wasn’t enough to give them a win in the first game of the AHSAA Class 5A semifinals on Friday.

Trailing 6-1 in the sixth, Connell came up to bat with bases loaded, a first in the game for the Trojans. The fastball from pitcher Chris Beasley was too good to resist.

“Yeah, I knew it,” Connell said after the game.

So did his dad, Carol. “The guy next to me said, ‘where’s it going?’ I said, ‘it’s going out of centerfield.’”

The grandslam put the Trojans within striking distance of the Toros, at 6-5. A hard hit by Jalin Lawson down the third baseline followed, earning him a double. But at the end of the inning, he remained stranded on second.

Blake Hutchinson took the mound for the Trojans in the seventh inning, coming in for Mitch McLeod who pitched six innings earning seven strikeouts and giving up only two walks, one of which was intentional.

Hutchinson struck out the first two batters and the third grounded out on a hit to the pitcher.

The Trojans tried to rally in the seventh, with a walk by Edenfield, who managed to steal second. With two outs and Nathan Barron up to bat, a pop fly to short center was caught by the shortstop, giving the Toros the first win.

The two teams play again at 6:45 p.m. in the best of three series.

For live coverage of game two, check out twitter.com/TroyMessenger