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Spain Park’s Jacob Rich throws to first base during a game against Mountain Brook on Thursday, April 20. (REPORTER PHOTOS/STEPHEN DAWKINS)

HOOVER – Spain Park High School’s baseball team took an important step toward a playoff berth with an 8-2 win over Mountain Brook on Thursday, April 20.

The Jaguars and Spartans play again at 5 p.m. Friday, April 21 at Mountain Brook. A win for SPHS in that game would earn the team the No. 2 seed from its area, behind Oak Mountain, and a Class 7A postseason berth.

If Mountain Brook wins on Friday, the two teams will play a tiebreaker game at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 22, at SPHS.

The Jags did most of their damage Thursday in the third and sixth innings, plating three runs in each of those frames, and added one run in the first and one run in the fifth.

Host Spain Park outhit the visitors 12-6 and committed one fewer error, 2-1.

Lane Willis, Will Evans and Will Battersby each had two hits for Spain Park, while each batter in the starting lineup had at least one hit.

Jacob Rich, William Mee and Davis Holley each scored two runs.

Justin McClure drove in three runs, and Battersby drove in two runs.

Battersby was also the winning pitcher. He held the Spartans to two earned runs on six hits and no walks in seven innings while striking out three.

MBHS had cut the lead to 4-2 going into the fifth inning, but Spain Park tacked on a run in the bottom of the fifth and then broke the game open in the sixth.

With the bases loaded and facing a full count, Michael Purser drew a walk to bring in one run.

One batter later, McClure brought in the game’s final two runs with a single over the head of the Mountain Brook third baseman.

The Class 7A playoffs begin April 27-28.

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