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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

HOOVER – The Oak Mountain Eagles saw more promising signs during Hoover’s spring break tournament March 31 through April 2, winning three more games ahead of area play.

The Eagles (17-9) did lose their final two games of the tournament, falling 7-0 to Houston and 5-4 to Harvard Westlake, but the Eagles won three in a row against Gadsden City, Calera and Christian Academy Knoxville to kick off the tournament, which extended a win streak to six in a row.

Entering the tournament with confidence, that showed in an 8-0 shutout of Gadsden City to open the tournament on March 31.

The Eagles were held scoreless for the first two innings, but then scored one in the third, two in the fourth and five in the fifth to take an 8-0 lead.

That was more than enough for Maddox Macrory on the mound and the defense behind him, as Oak Mountain didn’t give up a run in the game.

Macrory got the complete-game shutout, allowing just two hits and one walk with three strikeouts.

At the plate, Nick McCord, Davis Gillespie and Andrew Hunt all had two hits. Gillespie led the way with three RBIs, while McCord added two and Hunt one. Chapman Wallock and Kevin Jasinski each had one hit and one RBI in the win as well.

After that one finished, Oak Mountain matched up with Calera in a battle of county teams and used strong pitching once again to build a lead.

Gillespie got the start on the mound and didn’t allow a run through the first five innings of the game, which let the Eagles be patient at the plate. Eventually, in the bottom of the fourth, Oak Mountain capitalized with two runs and then added three more in the fifth to make it 5-0.

Calera did get two runs in the top of the sixth, but that became Gillespie’s only blemish, while Oak Mountain responded with two in the home half to close out a 7-2 win.

Gillespie totaled 15 strikeouts and in the complete-game victory, allowing three hits and two runs.

Jasinski finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Moore and McCord added two hits each. Moore finished with one RBI, while Grant Rakers and Wallock each had one hit and one RBI.

A day later, Oak Mountain picked up its final win of the tournament against Christian Academy Knoxville with another dominant effort on the mound.

This time, Matthew Heiberger and Jasinski combined for the winning effort.

Heiberger was flawless for six innings, striking out 14 and giving up just two hits and one walk to earn the win, while Jasinski finished off the shutout by striking out the side in the top of the seventh to preserve a 5-0 win.

At the plate, Hunt finished with a hit and two RBIs, while Gillespie finished with a triple and one RBI. Macrory also had an RBI thanks to a solo home run.

In the 7-0 loss to Houston, Oak Mountain gave up 10 hits and only had hits from Gillespie, Heiberger and Jasinski.

In the final game, the Eagles battled back from a 5-2 loss by scoring two late runs, but ultimately fell 5-4.

Hunt finished with two hits and an RBI, while Bush and Moore finished with one hit and one RBI each.