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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

NORTH SHELBY – Just a few hours after walking on the diamond to be honored as a member of the Oak Mountain Eagles’ Class of 2025, Zach Fitzgerald walked to the batter’s box in the bottom of the seventh inning with everything on the line.

With the score tied up at 8-8, the Eagles would need a hit from Fitzgerald’s bat to try and break the deadlock and honor the senior class with a win on their senior night.

Fitzgerald worked a 2-0 count off his first two pitches, meaning the ensuing pitch was all but guaranteed to land in the strike zone. From there, he swung for it all, launching the ball to deep left field. It wouldn’t just be a hit to extend the inning, but a walk-off solo home run to end the game.

Fitzgerald’s solo shot capped off a dramatic 9-8 win for Oak Mountain over the Pell City Panthers on Thursday, Feb. 27 at Oak Mountain High School.

He wasn’t the only senior who was honored as Cole Kelly, Conner Dennis, Gabe Jones, Brooks Braswell, Garrett Edwards, Owen Edwards, Blake Benson, Will Tate, Will O’Dell and Noah Eady were all recognized for their contributions to the Eagles program on senior night.

As for the game itself, Pell City got off to a strong start after using a walk and single on its first two at-bats to set up a two-run single.

Two batters later, the Panthers got another RBI double to increase the lead, and soon after, a two-out RBI single put them up 4-0 going into the home half of the first.

Owen Edwards took advantage of his lead-off double by advancing home off a wild pitch and an RBI ground out. While Oak Mountain could only cut the deficit to 4-1 in the first, a hitless top of the second inning let the Eagles close the gap during their next turn at the plate.

Stuck in a two-out hole with a runner on third, Xander Hughes hit an RBI double to score Eady before he came home on the next pitch thanks to Tate’s own RBI double. Edwards then drew a walk to put two on for Sam Prier, who tied up the game at 4-4 with an RBI single.

After a brief break from scoring in the third, Oak Mountain went back to work in the bottom of the fourth. With two on and one out, Jones doubled to center to plate both runners and give his team its first lead of the game. Two pitches later, William Yoder made the lead 7-4 with an RBI single.

While the next batter grounded out, a walk and a passed ball put runners on the corners for Fitzgerald, who earned an RBI single to put the Eagles up 8-4 at the end of the fourth.

However, Pell City worked its way back over the next two innings. Oak Mountain allowed a lead-off single in the top of the fifth and a batter to be hit by a pitch, but on the next play, the back two runners got out on a double play.

The Eagles had control issues on the next three at-bats. A passed ball plated a run before three straight walks put them in trouble. Oak Mountain got the third out afterwards to escape with an 8-5 lead, but more damage came in the top of the sixth.

The Panthers loaded up the bases with one out thanks to two walks and a single. After a pitching change, the Eagles forced an infield fly for the second out, but a hit by pitch and two-run single on back-to-back pitches tied up the game at 8-8.

Oak Mountain couldn’t score in the bottom of the sixth, but after a one-two-three top of the seventh, the hosts decisively struck back. Fitzgerald’s solo home run ended the game and gave the Eagles a 9-8 victory.

Fitzgerald went 2-for-4 with two RBI, including his solo home run, and got the win in the mound by allowing just one hit in the final 1.2 innings. Edwards finished 3-for-3 with a walk and two runs, and Kelly went 2-for-4.

Oak Mountain will return to action on Friday, Feb. 28 at 4:30 p.m. against Tuscaloosa County.