By TREY HICKMAN/For the Reporter

MONTEVALLO — Chase Hamrick and Wesley Mims combined to throw a no-hitter while Montevallo’s bats enjoyed an offensive explosion as the host Bulldogs belted Class 3A Area 7 foe Tarrant for a 31-0, five-inning win in varsity baseball Mar. 11.

Not only did the one-sided victory give Montevallo (5-6 overall, 1-0 in Area 7) a victory to begin area play, it also snapped the Bulldogs’ four-game losing streak.

“We’ve had a bad run where we just haven’t had a lot of positive things happen,” said Montevallo head coach Trey Simpson. “When we do swing the bats well we’ve been hitting it right at people. So it’s always good to get a win and get back on track. In games like this (blowouts) you just try to always work on something to improve on.”

Hamrick provided the home team with a sharp start, striking out the side in the top of the first. In the bottom half of the inning, the Bulldogs batted around twice and, led by Hunter Nabors, built quite a comfortable lead. Nabors went 2-for-2 with three RBI’s in the opening inning as Montevallo scored 14 runs in its turn at the plate.

Tarrant issued seven walks to help the Bulldogs’ cause in that half-inning.

Montevallo continued to pour on the runs as the Wildcat bats were nonexistent all night, and the game was eventually called two innings early due to the 10-run mercy rule.

Hamrick got the win for Montevallo, going three innings, striking out eight and allowing only one base runner (via a hit-by-pitch). Mims added a pair of strikeouts in his two innings of relief.

Only two Wildcat hitters reached base.

“And (the combined no-hitter is) good,” Simpson said. “And that’s like we tell our guys: We’re not worried about who we’re playing. We’re worried about what kind of game we play. The pitchers did a good job because we had some long innings (at-bat) but they came out there and continued to sling. (They) filled up the strike zone, so they did a good job.”

Offensively for the Bulldogs, Chase Hamrick went 3-for-3 with five RBI’s and four runs scored. Ahmad Edwards was 3-for-4 while Hunter Nabors finished 3-for-5, and each drove in three runs and scored a trio of times.

Preston Burns, Colby Lucas, Wesley Mims, Justin Pickett and Will Snyder had two RBI’s apiece in the victory.

Montevallo is on the road Mar. 13 to take on Tarrant again, this time in a doubleheader.