From Staff Reports

The Benjamin Russell Wildcats wasted little time in disposing of Shelby County High School 11-1 during day one of the Lake Martin Baseball Classic in Alexander City last Monday afternoon.

Pitcher Martevious Young held SCHS to five hits and got plenty of support from the Benjamin Russell batting lineup en route to the win in the five-inning contest.

In the first inning, BRHS staked an early lead when Russ Johnson blasted a three-run homer off of starter Justin Mallory.

The round-tripper was Johnson’s 10th of the season.

SCHS cut the deficit to 3-1 in the third when Matthew Palmer scored on a hit by Dave Cofer.

Benjamin Russell responded in the bottom half of the inning with six runs. Justin Lawhorn pushed BRHS’s lead to 4-1 with an RBI single that scored Jordan Brewer.

Johnson later scored on an errant SCHS throw. Later in the inning, Clint Harrelson

ripped a two-out triple with the bases loaded to up BRHS’s advantage to 8-1.

Matthew Keel promptly singled to drive in Harrelson.

Young held SCHS (2-12) scoreless during the fourth and fifth innings, setting the table for BRHS to win the game by the 10-run mercy rule in five innings.

Keel picked up his second RBI of the day with a double that scored Clay Harrelson in the fourth.

Jordan Brewer ended the contest in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI double. Overall, BRHS (16-3) pounded out 13 hits during the victory. SCHS’ Mallory, suffered the loss after five innings on the mound.

The Wildcats went on to lose to Opelika Tuesday and Trinity Wednesday at the Lake Martin Classic.

Before making the trip to Alexander City Shelby County lost to Vincent and split a double header with the Calera Eagles.

The Yellow Jackets defeated the Wildcats at Shelby County 6-2. David House was tagged with the loss, pitching 5 innings and giving up 4 runs on 2 hits. He struck out 8, walked 4 and retired the first 13 hitters he faced, carrying a no-hitter into the fifth inning. He gave up a 1-out infield single to Vincent’s Steven adams.

Justin Mallory pitched 2 innings and gave up 3 hits and 2 runs, striking out 1.

Dane Vansant led the Wildcats at the plate, going 2-for-3. Robert Bolton was 1-for-3 with 1 RBI and 2 walks and Drew Holsomback was 1-for-1.

The Wildcats got their second win of the season last Saturday, defeating Calera in the first game of a double header.

Bolton got the win, pitching a complete game 7 innings. It was SCHS’ first complete game of the season by a pitcher. Bolton threw only 85 pitches in 7 innings of work.

He gave up 12 hits and 9 runs (6 earned) and struck out 7 batters.

Vansant led the Wildcats at the plate, going 2-for-3 with 2 RBI and 2 walks. Bolton helped himself at the plate, going 2-for-4 with 2 RBI and Dave Cofer was 2-for-4 with 1 RBI and scored 2 runs.

Calera exacted revenge on the Wildcats that night in game No. 2 of the double header, winning 12-3.

Danson Thornburg (0-2) got the loss, pitching 4 innings and giving up 8 runs on 8 hits. He struck out 2.

Marshall Sallas pitched 1 inning, giving up 1 hit and a walk, and Jake Weaver pitched an inning giving up no hits or walks.

Drew Gibson also tossed an inning, giving up 3 runs on 1 hit and a walk.

Stephen Barrow led Shelby County at the plate, going 2-for-3 and scoring 1 run while Nick Jones was 2-for-4 with a double.

The losses dropped the Wildcats to 2-15 on the season.

SCHS will return to action Friday when it travels to Jemison and will play Glassgow (Ky.) at Thompson Saturday at 12:30 followed by a 3 p.m. game against Mortimer Jordan at THS.

Monday the Wildcats play Elmore County at Auburn University at Montgomery before hosting Chelsea at home on Tuesday