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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

THORSBY – The Vincent Yellow Jackets were dominant on both the mound and at the plate as they battled through the elements to take a road win at Thorsby High School.

Vincent defeated the Thorsby Rebels 17-0 in a weather-shortened four-inning matchup on Tuesday, March 4 behind a strong day from senior Grayson Gulde.

Gulde allowed just one hit in four innings on the mound while striking out 10 batters in a shutout performance. He was also the spark plug for the offense, going 3-for-4 at the plate with a pair of two-run home runs in the win.

One of those came off a big blast in the top of the first. After Casen Fields scored the opening run of the game off an error, he drove Aiden Poe home with a two-run home run to center field to take the lead to 3-0.

A pair of singles from Landon Archer and Lane Mims got the offense going again before Ethan McElrath got hit by a pitch to load up the bases with no outs.

While the next two batters struck out, Vincent increased the lead to 7-0 shortly after with an RBI single from Aidan Gasaway, an error off a Fields ground ball and a two-run double from Poe.

The Jackets didn’t score in the second inning but got right to work in the top of the third after Gulde struck out five of the first eight batters that he faced.

Gasaway drew a lead-off walk before Fields hit a double to put two in scoring position for Poe. The senior scored both runners to make the lead 9-0. Then, Gulde mashed his second home run of the day for the 10th and 11th runs of the game.

Both of the next two batters drew walks, but then the two batters afterwards struck out to leave Vincent in a two-out hole.

However, a pair of RBI singles from Calvin Johnson and Fields increased the lead to 14-0 before the end of the inning.

A Gulde double and Archer walk kicked off the fourth inning before McElrath shut it down with a one-out, three-run home run to cap off the scoring with a 17-0 lead.

Gulde then stuck out the side in the bottom of the fourth before the game was called off.

Poe finished 2-for-3 with a walk, four RBI and two runs, and Fields was 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Archer had a 2-for-2 day with two walks while Gasaway went 2-for-2 with a walk, two runs and an RBI. McElrath’s three-run home run helped him finish with three RBI and two runs in a 1-for-3 day.

Vincent improved to 9-2 with the win and will be back in action on Saturday, March 8 for a doubleheader against Westbrook Christian at 2 p.m. and Class 6A Chilton County at 4:30 p.m.