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This past weekend, the Pike Liberal Arts Patriots (1-3) hosted the annual Jonah McWaters Tournament at Butch Austin Field.

On Friday, Feb. 24, the Patriots picked up their first win as a member of the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) by a score of 3-2 over the Chipley (Fla.) Tigers. The two battled to a scoreless tie through five innings but in the bottom of the sixth, Pike’s Payne Jefcoat belted a two-run homer that also drove John Lott home to give the Patriots a 2-0 lead. In the top of the seventh, however, Chipley hit back-to-back solo home runs to tie the score.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, KC Bradford hit a walk-off RBI single into left field that drove Cole Garrott home for the winning run. KC Bradford went 2-for-3 on the night with a stolen base, an RBI and a double.

Kade Brookins pitched six innings and fanned 10 batters, while giving up one hit and no runs. Lott had 12 putouts on the defensive end.

The Patriots battled both Class 5A Headland and Mosley (Fla.) on Feb. 25, falling in both of those games. Against Mosley, Pruitt Vaughan, Levi DeBoer, Jefcoat and KC Bradford each had one hit, while Luke Barron scored the lone Patriot run as PLAS lost 10-1.

Will Rice pitched two innings and struck out two batters, while giving up two hits and three earned runs. Davis Kilcrease pitched three innings and retired three batters, while giving up three hits and three earned runs. Dawson Bradford also struck out a batter and gave up two hits and one earned run in one inning on the mound.

Brookins and KC Bradford earned Pike Lib’s only hits of the afternoon against Headland as the Pats lost 14-0. A total of five PLAS pitchers faced Headland batters. Barron pitched two and 1/3 innings and struck out a batter, while giving up two hits and one earned run. The Patriots pitching staff gave up six earned runs on the day, while PLAS had seven errors on the defensive end.

After losing to GW Long on Feb. 23, the Charles Henderson Trojans (4-1) bounced back with a 4-3 win over the Goshen Eagles on Feb. 25 in a county matchup. Goshen exploded to score three runs in the first inning and take a 3-0 lead early. Goshen’s Peyton Stamey started the scoring barrage with an RBI double that drove Brody Wilks home and then both Cade Edwards and Stamey scored on walks with the bases loaded.

In the second inning, Charles Henderson’s Cole Pugh hit an RBI single into left field that drove home both Wes Templin and Kevin Yeoman to cut Goshen’s lead to 3-2. In the bottom of the fourth, Will Templin drove home Pugh to tie the score 3-3 and then Damien Hart drove home Chase Vaznaian for the go-ahead run. Goshen was unable to get back into scoring position and the Trojans held on for the 4-3 win.

At the plate, Pugh, Parker Adams and Will Templin all earned one hit each. Jordan McBryde pitched six innings and struck out one batter, while giving up two hits and no runs. Wes Templin 14 had six putouts, one assist and a double play, while Will Templin had four putouts, one assist and one double play. Pugh also earned a double play on the defensive end.

For Goshen, Stamey led the way at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run. Wilks and CJ Thompson had one hit each. Stamey pitched three and 1/3 innings with three strikeouts, while he gave up four hits and two earned runs. Wilks also pitched two and 2/3 innings and retired four batters, while giving up no hits or runs. Tyler McLendon had six putouts and two assists at catcher.

The Zion Chapel Rebels (0-3) lost a county game against New Brockton by a score of 12-0 on Feb. 24. New Brockton threw a no-hitter shutout against the Rebels. Wes Braistead pitched two innings and struck out five batters, while giving up four hits and seven earned runs. Brady Flowers gave up four hits and three earned runs along with striking out two batters in two innings pitched. Mason Stuart had six putouts and one assist on defense.