Published: Thursday, March 11, 2010

By Tony Sisk
Madison Magazine

Bob Jones was able to come away with two wins on Saturday with a 13-7 thumping of Hewitt-Trussville and an 8-4 win over the Haleyville Lions.

Will Bucy picked up the win against the Huskies and Chris Tate got the win over Haleyville. Bucy pitched two innings of relief and gave up one run on three hits and a walk, while Tate got a complete-game effort allowing four runs on four hits, six walks and four strikeouts.

Bob Jones 8, Haleyville 4
Bob Jones opened up the scoring in the second inning as Colin Cantrell reached on a single in between strikeouts from Mike Arnold and Bucy. Cantrell stole second base and was brought home on a single by Will Bowen. Tate helped his own cause with a double to score a run. The third run crossed the plated on a single by Charlie Johnson for the 3-0 advantage.

The Patriots pushed the lead out to five runs with two more in the third inning, as Edwin Reyes and Arnold got back-to-back doubles to score a run. Arnold later scored the second run of the inning on a single by Bucy. Haleyville scored two runs in the top of the fourth inning to close the gap to 5-2.

However, Bob Jones was able to extend the lead back to five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Tate led off with a single, but was quickly erased on a fielder’s choice by Johnson. Jeremy Hatley then followed with a single, and Johnson scored on a long single by Ricky Burks.

Reyes later followed with a double to score Hatley, but Burks was called out at the plate as he tried to score. Burks then had the misfortune of being ejected from the contest as he contested the call of the umpire and was tossed.

Haleyville once again answered with two runs of their own and Bob Jones tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth for good measure. Hatley got a double and a stolen base, and then later scored on a sacrifice-fly by Casey Whitt.

Bob Jones 13, Hewitt-Trussville 7
When it comes to sports against the Bob Jones Patriots and the Hewitt-Trussville Huskies, Bob Jones seems to have their number this season. The Patriots blasted Hewitt-Trussville in the first-round of the AHSAA football playoffs 35-14, and did the equivalent of that in baseball with a 13-7 romp.

Bob Jones jumped out to an early 6-0 advantage in large on the play of Burks, who had a huge home run in the bottom of the third inning on the first pitch. What made the home run so amazing was the fact that Burks hit the ball about 40 feet over the center field fence into a stout wind blowing in from left field towards the visiting dugout along the first-base line.

Hewitt-Trussville tied the game at 7-7 on a 3-run homer off the bat of Austin Justice, as Bucy left his first pitch high and Justice drove the ball over the left-field fence. Bucy had inherited runners on base when he came in for relief of Whitt. So, two of the runs were credited to Whitt.

The Patriots answered in the bottom of the sixth with a 6-run burst for the final margin. Bucy led off the inning with a single, and then both Bowen and Hatley each reached on bunt singles. Hatley’s bunt was inauspicious at best, as he popped the ball in the air towards shortstop which had been vacated by Cox on wheel play by the Huskie defense.

Burks followed with a single to score two runs, as the bases were loaded with no one out. Arnold received a free pass and loaded the bases once more and Reyes followed with a single to score Hatley and Burks. Arnold and Reyes were then knocked in by Trey Wingenter to finalize the scoring.