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The Alabama Sports Writers Association (ASWA) released its first ASWA Baseball/Softball Poll on Thursday and the Pike Liberal Arts Patriots (9-6) landed at No. 7 in Class 2A.

In Pike’s first year in the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA), as a part of 2A, the Patriots cracked the ASWA Poll in the first week after winning eight consecutive games. Those wins include a pair of victories over the No. 4-ranked Ariton Purple Cats and Class 3A’s No. 6 Providence Christian.

After winning back-to-back AISA State Championships, Pike started its first year in the AHSAA just 1-6 in the first seven games before exploding to win eight straight over a 10-day span.

The No. 1-ranked team in 2A is defending state champion GW Long – who just lost a matchup against Charles Henderson this week – with Bayshore Christian coming in at No. 2, Mars Hill at No. 3 and Ariton at No. 4. Lindsay Lane and Vincent land at five and six ahead of Pike Lib with Donoho, Tuscaloosa Academy and North Sand Mountain rounding out the Top 10 behind the Patriots. Long, Ariton and PLAS are the only schools in the Wiregrass to land on the 2A Top 10.

Pike Lib opens up area play this week with a series against county foe Goshen. The Patriots and Eagles will meet at Goshen on March 16 followed by a doubleheader in Troy on March 17.