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By TYLER RALEY | Staff Writer

ALBERTVILLE – Amidst a weekend full of competitive atmospheres, the Vincent Yellow Jackets found all of the answers necessary to complete a three-game sweep of the Fyffe Red Devils, Lauderdale County Tigers and Bayshore Christian Eagles at the Smalltown Showdown.

Vincent took a trip to the northern part of the state to defeat Fyffe 3-2 on Friday, Feb. 28, and came back the next day to beat Lauderdale County 7-3 and Bayshore Christian 9-7 on Saturday, March 1 at Sand Mountain Park.

The Yellow Jackets’ first game showcased their defensive resilience to hold a lead on the Red Devils from Fyffe. 

That lead took a clear form in the top of the first inning. Following two quick outs to start the game, Aiden Poe singled on a sharp line drive to center field. He handed the bat off to Landon Archer, who followed that up with a single of his own into center field. That hit got even bigger when the center fielder committed an error, allowing Poe to score to make it 1-0.

The error also proved to be costly, as immediately following the hit, Grayson Gulde sent a pitch deep to center field and over the wall, securing a two-run home run and an early 3-0 lead for Vincent.

After the burst of momentum, Archer got to the mound and put on a show. In the bottom of the third however, the Red Devils began to threaten with runners on second and third and one out, but a strikeout and a ground out got the Yellow Jackets out of the inning

Fyffe broke through though in the bottom of the fifth. As a runner stood on third base with just one out, the Red Devils put down a sacrifice bunt and drove the runner in, cutting things to 3-1. 

Fyffe got things even closer in the bottom of the seventh, as it scored on an error with two runners on to bring the score to 3-2, but Vincent shut things down with three outs immediately following to secure the win.

Archer earned the win in game, giving up one run on no hits while striking out eight and walking three in the process. He pitched five innings during his outing.

The Yellow Jackets came back the following day to start the month of March against Lauderdale County.

The Tigers got on the board quickly in this one, as with runners on first and second, they drove in one run on a single into right field, quickly putting the score at 1-0.

However, after that score, both pitchers held their ground firmly for a while. That was the case until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Gulde and Archer kicked the frame off with a single and a walk. Keller Finn later drew a walk to load the bases before Calvin Johnson recorded a two-RBI single to give Vincent a 2-1 lead.

The Yellow Jackets carried that momentum into the bottom of the fifth, drawing three consecutive walks to load the bases with one out. A couple of batters later, Ethan McElrath drew a walk to drive in a run before Finn stroked a single to put up two more runs, making it 5-1 in the blink of an eye.

Lauderdale County responded with a run in the top of the sixth on a passed ball, but Vincent immediately responded back. With runners on the corners, Poe doubled into right field to score a run Gulde grounded out to bring in another, extending things to 7-2.

The Tigers scored once more off of a single in the top of the seventh, but it was not enough as the Yellow Jackets secured a second win, 7-3.

Poe pitched a complete game in this one, continuing his magnificent career by striking out 10, but also gave up three runs on six hits in the process.

That game set Vincent up for its nightcap thriller with Bayshore Christian, one that greatly tested its determination and mindset.

The Yellow Jackets struck first in the contest in the top of the third, as with runners on second and third base, Casen Fields put a double into right field, driving in both runners. Fields stole third in the ensuing at-bat before scoring on an error by the Eagles’ catcher, making it 3-0 quickly.

Bayshore answered in the top of the fourth, scoring with two outs on an error committed by McElrath and cutting the score to 3-1.

Vincent did not blink in that moment though. In the bottom of the fourth, the bases quickly got loaded with three consecutive walks before Aiden Gasaway drew a free pass of his own to make it 4-1. Fields followed that up with a sacrifice fly into left field to extend the game to 5-1 and an opportunity to start running away with it.

The momentum kept increasing inthe bottom of the fifth as the Yellow Jackets juiced the bases once again with two singles and a hit batter. This time, Finn recorded an infield single to score the team’s sixth run, and Johnson followed it up with an RBI single of his own to put the score at 7-1.

As the game headed towards the top of the seventh, all signs pointed towards another Vincent win. The Eagles had something to say about that though. After quickly scoring two runs, Bayshore put across four more runs to tie the game late.

The game went to extra innings knotted at 7-7, but the Yellow Jackets did not let it last for long. With Johnson sitting on first and one out, Fields stepped up and took the first pitch he saw out to center field, walking the game off with a home run to win the game 9-7.

Fields also earned the win on the mound in game three, going 1.2 innings and giving up one run on two hits while striking out two and walking one.

With the three wins, Vincent improves to 8-2 on the year and will prepare for a road game with the Thorsby Rebels on Tuesday, March 4 at 4:30 p.m. at Thorsby High School.