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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

The Calera Eagles took care of business in their first two area games of the season as they swept both legs of a two-game set with the Chilton County Tigers.

Calera won the first meeting 7-2 at home on Tuesday, March 19 before traveling to Clanton on Thursday, March 21 and earning a 2-1 win.

After a scoreless first inning, Calera loaded up the bases in the bottom of the third with one out thanks to two walks and a single.

Aspen Long then cleared the bases with an RBI double to put the Eagles up 3-0.

Calera then drew another walk to put two runners on for Dalton Ash, and he hit an RBI single to increase the lead to 4-0.

Chilton County responded in the top of the third with two runs off a single and an error, making the score 4-2 in response to the Eagles’ strong second.

However, Calera got right back to work in the bottom of the fourth and loaded up the bases once again off a hit by pitch, Ash single and a walk.

Decari White singled to left to score both Long and Ash, increasing the lead to 6-2.

An error on the ensuing at-bat finished off the scoring and sealed the 7-2 win for the Eagles.

Will Harrison earned the complete-game win, allowing just one earned run, two total runs, two hits and four walks while taking six strikeouts.

Two days later, the teams matched up again at Chilton County High School, combining for three runs in the first inning before giving way to a pitcher’s duel.

Calera rolled right out of the gate with a leadoff single by Mac Graham and a hit by pitch followed by a first-pitch single by Harrison.

With the bases loaded and no outs, the Tigers hit White with a pitch to put the Eagles on the scoreboard.

Two pitches later, a sacrifice fly by David Gutierrez allowed Ash to score and make the lead 2-0.

Chilton County made a statement to start the bottom half of the frame with a leadoff double, and a passed ball and sacrifice fly allowed a run to score.

However, that was all the Tigers could manage as Calera held them scoreless the rest of the way, and the visiting Eagles earned the 2-1 win.

Long remained in control from the mound, earning the win with five innings of one-run, one-hit baseball. He took two strikeouts against three walks. Aiden Agee earned the two-inning save as he didn’t allow a hit or run and surrendered just one walk.

Calera will head south to play in the Gulf Coast Classic and play four games in three days from March 25-27.