Warriors baseball cruises past Hoover

Published 11:07 am Saturday, March 22, 2014

By JOSH ETHRIDGE/For the Reporter

HOOVER — The Thompson High School baseball team travelled to play the Hoover High School Buccaneers on March 21.  The Warriors were able to take home a victory after shutting the Bucs out 4-0.

THS wasted no time getting on base as pitcher Drew Avans hit a line drive single up the middle on a 2-1 count. On the first pitch of the next at bat Avans swiped second base on a close play.  After getting bunted over to third base, Avans was able to make it home on a fielder’s choice grounder by Hunter Black.

Hoover had its first base runner in the bottom of the first as Hoovers Cooper Carden hit a ground ball single under the glove of Thompson Short Stop Davis Cox. The Bucs were not able to capitalize off the hit as Avans registered his first strikeout of the day.

After the first inning both pitchers were precise with their execution. Hoover pitcher Ryan Sargent didn’t allow a hit from the second inning through the fifth inning. In the top of the third he was able to strike out the side.

Neither team got on the board again until the top of the sixth were Thompson scored three of their four runs. Avans led the inning off with a home run shot over the right field wall to give Thompson a two-point advantage.  Joseph Simonetti drove home the last two runs for the Warriors on a line drive to the right field corner.

In the bottom of the seventh any attempt at a comeback was ended as Avans pitched a 1-2-3 inning, clinching a 4-0 victory for the Warriors.

For Thompson, Avans was 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI at the plate. He pitched a complete game, allowing four hits and registering nine strikeouts.

Thompson will go on the road to face off against Fairhope on March 24.