Shelby County swept by Sylacauga

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, April 3, 2007

It was a devaju doubleheader Friday night for the Shelby County Wildcats, as they were swept by Sylacauga 6-3 and 10-3.

The Wildcats picked up an early lead in both games, but mid-game errors helped lead to a number of runs to help the Aggies pull ahead.

Josh Dikis helped start the game with a bases-loaded double to score two runs and give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead after the first inning. The lead grew to 3-0 with an RBI single by Nick Oliver in the top of the third inning. However, Sylacauga took advantage of two Wildcat errors and a three-run home run to pull ahead 4-3.

Oliver allowed five runs, only two earned, through four innings pitched, while striking out three and allowing three hits.

Game two was similar to the first game, as the Wildcats took advantage of a passed ball to take a 1-0 lead in the first inning. After the Aggies evened the score in the bottom of the first, Wesley Howard scored on an error at third base to give Shelby County a 2-1 lead.

The third inning played out similar to game one, as the Aggies collected five runs off three hits and three errors to pull in front 6-2. They added three more runs off a hit and four errors in the fourth inning. A solo home run in the fifth rounded out the scoring for the Aggies, while an Aaron Howard bomb in the seventh rounded out the offense for the Wildcats.

Earlier in the week, the Wildcats (10-8) swept Calera in a doubleheader 11-9 and 10-9. Wesley Howard collected three hits, including two doubles in game one, while Josh Dikis, Aaron Howard and Graham Davis had two hits, including a home run by Aaron Howard.

In game two, Calera rallied with five runs in the top of the seventh, but fell just short. Matt Tracy collected four hits and nine RBIs on the night to lead Calera, while Paul Winterbottom had three hits.

In other games from staff reports:

-Childersburg snaps Briarwood win streak: After winning four games during the week, Childersburg snapped a Briarwood win streak with a 13-3 victory on Saturday. Childersburg took advantage of seven walks and two hit batters, to put runners on base and score 10 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Briarwood took an early 3-0 lead with Ben Bracewell and Adam Russell each collecting a double in the game. Jeffrey Vincent

pitched one-third of an inning in the sixth inning, allowing six runs off two hits to pick up his first loss of the season.

Vincent won his fifth straight game of the season last Tuesday to start the week with a 9-0 win over John Carroll to open Class 5A, Area 8 play. The Lions (16-7, 2-0) went on to defeat Springville, 8-3, Parker, 15-4, and Saks, 15-10, during the week.

-Yellow Jackets remain unbeaten: Vincent High posted a four-run sixth inning Saturday to edge Ragland 10-8 and remain a perfect 15-0 on the season. Octavius Looney and Brandon Carden each collected two hits and a home run to produce a pair of RBIs to lead the way for the Yellow Jackets.

Justin Smiley also collected a home run on the week, as he went yard in a 12-2 win over Talladega County Central on Thursday, collecting four hits and four RBIs.

Vincent opened Class 2A, Area 7 play with a 4-3 win over Thorsby last Tuesday and 6-1 win over Shades Mountain on Friday. They play host to Winterboro Friday to wrap up the first half of their area schedule.

-Chelsea falls short against Pleasant Grove: A home run by Phillip Heard was not enough for Chelsea, as a two-run double by Chazz Otwell helped lift Pleasant Grove to a 3-2 victory Saturday.

-Rebels win three at Tuscaloosa Academy Invitational: The Coosa Valley Rebels bounced back from a 10-9 loss to Southern Academy Saturday afternoon to defeat No. 2 Tuscaloosa Academy, 10-6 Saturday night.

Chase Ward and Zac Taylor hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the third to help the Rebels string together a six-run inning to take a 6-2 lead. Cody Browning added a dinger in the fifth, followed by another bomb by Taylor in the sixth.

Taylor (4-1) picked up the win on the mound with six strikeouts, allowing three earned runs off 10 hits.

CVA (12-7) traveled to Cornerstone Christian Tuesday, but results were not available at press time.

-Aliceville forfeits area opener with Montevallo: Montevallo improved to 1-0 in Class 3A, Area 6 without stepping on the diamond, as Aliceville forfeited their game with the Dawgs on Thursday