By BAKER ELLIS / Sports Editor

GULF SHORES – The Thompson Warriors traveled to Gulf Shores over spring break to take part in the Gulf Coast Classic, a tournament with 28 total teams spread out over six locations. Thompson played four games at the tournament, winning all four and averaging nearly 11 runs per game to move to 17-14 on the year. The Warriors were led by center fielder Heath Haskins, who finished the tournament with blistering numbers.

 

Game 1. Thompson 12 – Beech (Tenn.) 0

The Warriors scored a pair of runs in the first two innings of the game before plating seven in the third to jump on top of Beech (Tenn.) 9-0 after three innings, eventually winning 12-0 in just a five-inning ordeal. Haskins hit a pair of home runs in the game while Jonathan Crawford added a bomb as well. Haskins went a perfect 3-for-3 from the plate with five RBIs to go along with his two homers. JC Parker threw 46 pitches over four innings, giving up no runs and no hits before Austin Sparks closed out the game.

 

Game 2. Thompson 7 – Pell City 1

While the offense did not maintain its meteoric start to the tournament in the second game, the Warriors still scored seven runs on Pell City on Tuesday en route to a 7-1 win. Thompson only registered five hits on the day, with Lance Johnson, Chris Lewis, Jackson Conner, Braden Ashmead and Garrett Chandler all finishing with a hit apiece. JC Goolsby kept the Pell City bats quiet all day, throwing a complete, seven-inning game while giving up just one run on three hits and striking out four.

 

Game 3. Thompson 9 – Muscle Shoals 6

What turned out to be Thompson’s closest game of the tournament did not start out that way. The Warriors scored all nine of their runs in the first two innings against Muscle Shoals, thanks in part to Haskins’ third home run in three games as well as a pair of RBIs from Lance Johnson. With a 9-0 lead, Thompson was in complete control before Muscle Shoals erupted for six runs in the fourth inning to make the game interesting again. Johnson, who pitched a complete game for Thompson, settled down after the fourth-inning explosion, and did not allow another run the rest of the game as Thompson preserved the win.

 

Game 4. Thompson 15 – Foley 5

Haskins hit two more home runs in Thompson’s fourth game of the tournament, giving him five total bombs in four games, as the Warriors boat raced Foley, beating the Lions by 10 runs by a 15-5 final. The Warriors scored three runs in the first and third innings, two runs in the second and seventh innings, four runs in the fourth inning and another run in the sixth as well in the win. Drew Williams pitched the first six innings for Thompson before Noah Machan came in to finish the game.  Haskins finished the tournament 8-for-10 from the plate with 11 RBIs and five home runs in four games and was also walked four times to cap his incendiary tournament.