By BAKER ELLIS / Sports Reporter

ALABASTER – Over the weekend of Feb. 27-28, the Lions of Kingwood Christian took the baseball diamond four times, amassing a 3-1 record and moving to 7-2-1 on the season. The Lions dropped the first game of the weekend to Morgan Academy by a final of 11-2 before winning their next three games.

The tone changed in the second Friday game when Shiloh West and Wyatt Baker teamed up to pitch a no-hitter in a four-inning game against Sumter that saw the Lions waltz away with an 8-0 victory. Dillon Calhoun and Dad Martin led the way for the Lions in the game against Sumter with two hits apiece; Calhoun also drove in one run. A big third inning was what separated the two squads, as Kingwood hung five runs on the hapless Eagles in their half of the inning on their way to the win.

The Saturday matchups were much closer than the two Friday games were, and both saw the Lions come out on top. In the first game of the day against Marengo Academy, Garrett Jones took the mound and pitched 4.2 innings, giving up just one hit before Rivers Chambless finished the last third of the fifth inning, which ended the game. Buddy Kittrell led off the first inning with a well-placed bunt, and after subsequently stealing second base was brought home when Calhoun connected for a single. Calhoun then promptly stole second and reached third as a result of a wild pitch, and scored when Corey Robinson hit a sacrifice fly. Marengo could never recover from the strong opening inning from the Lions, and Kingwood won 4-1.

The last game of the baseball-filled weekend was the closest of the weekend against Autauga Academy. Baker pitched a complete game, five-hit gem for Kingwood on the way to a hard fought 4-2 win. Kingwood opened up an early 3-0 lead in the first inning after the first three batters, Calhoun, Kittrell and Baker, all reached base and were all subsequently brought home. Baker was replaced on the base path with pinch runner JP Calvert who was brought home late in the inning. Kingwood used their big first inning and Baker’s arm to win the contest and advance to 7-2-1.

Kingwood will turn their attention to Cornerstone, who they will face in a March 6 contest at 6 p.m.