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The Oak Mountain Eagles stormed back to a 9-5 win over the Helena Huskies after trailing by four runs in the early going on Tuesday, March 4 at Helena High School. (For the Reporter/Jeremy Raines)

By TYLER RALEY | Staff Writer

HELENA – Searching for a way to bounce back after a loss, the Oak Mountain Eagles had to find everything within them in order to pull out a win to begin the month of March.

Oak Mountain completed a powerful comeback to defeat the Helena Huskies 9-5 on Tuesday, March 4, taking a road victory to take into its upcoming tournament after being defeated by the Tuscaloosa County Wildcats 9-3 on Friday, Feb. 28.

Helena wasted no time making a statement in this game between county foes as it tried to defend its home turf. Walks by Brett Cannon and Nick Peters, as well as a single by Jarret Scott loaded the bases early on with nobody out. Davis Kelley followed that up with a ground ball that turned into a double play, but drove in a run as well to make it 1-0 in the bottom of the first.

That quick burst of energy stayed with the Huskies as the game moved into the bottom of the second as they tried to mount some pressure on the Eagles. Lane Harris led the frame off with a single into left field, and a couple of batters later, Nate Jones and Cannon each drew a walk to load the bases.

On the next at-bat, Harris scored on a passed ball while both Jones and Cannon advanced, forcing Oak Mountain to bring Austin Senick into the game for starting pitcher Nolan Alexander. Just a few pitches into Senick’s outing, Scott laced a single into left field to score both runners and suddenly extend the score to 4-0.

The Eagles had a response however and did not let their guard down. Will O’Dell singled to lead off the top of the third inning and advanced a couple of batters later on a walk drawn by Sam Prier.

After both runners took another base on a passed ball, Gabe Jones put a hard ground ball into center field to score both runs and cut the deficit in half. Nick Eady followed that big hit up with a double of his own to score another run before Cole Kelly singled into center field and tied the game up at 4-4.

Oak Mountain did its damage in the third, but it was not close to being done. After getting back to the dugout quickly in the bottom of the third, the Eagles got back to work in the top of the fourth.

O’Dell led the frame off with a double before Ben Heath singled into center field to put runners at the corners. Owen Edwards drew a walk to follow, which loaded the bases with no outs. Prier drew yet another walk right after to get a run across and give Oak Mountain a 5-4 lead.

Jones continued the Eagles momentum in the fourth with a two-RBI single into right field before Eady returned to the plate to hit a single of his own, driving another run across. Kelly capped off the scoring party immediately after, hitting into a flyout in center field and scoring the team’s ninth run to make the score 9-4.

Helena attempted their own shot at a comeback in the bottom half of the inning, not going down without a fight. Samuel Odom reached on an error to begin the at-bat before Jones drew a walk. A couple of batters later, Peters singled to load the bases before Kelley drove in a run on a single to cut the game to 9-5.

Despite the small push for momentum though, the Huskies could not muster up enough production and Oak Mountain took the game 9-5.

Senick earned the win on the mound for the Eagles, giving up one run on two hits while striking out and walking one each. Meanwhile, Brody Butler picked up the loss for Helena, giving up six runs on eight hits while striking out two and walking one in three innings of work.

With the victory, Oak Mountain improves to 6-4 on the year and will hit the road for its next game to kick off a series of matchups in Troy. The Eagles will first take on the Wicksburg Panthers on Thursday, March 6 at 1:30 p.m. at Troy University.

For the Huskies, they drop to 7-5 and will prepare for a tough home contest with the Hoover Buccaneers on Thursday, March 6, with first pitch being set for 6:30 p.m.

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