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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

HARPERSVILLE – The Evangel Christian Lightning continued their standout season as they improved to 25-1 against a county foe and AISA Class A playoff team.

Evangel defeated the Coosa Valley Rebels 7-5 on Friday, April 11 at Coosa Valley Academy to secure the landmark 25th win of the season.

The Lightning extended their win streak to 16 games in a row with the win.

After ending March with a doubleheader sweep of Hope Christian, Evangel defeated Mount Pleasant Christian, Bessemer Academy and Chambers Academy in non-conference play while beating Tuscaloosa Home Educators 10-1 on April 3 and rival Ezekiel 14-4 just one night prior to the Coosa Valley game in ACSC play.

Following a scoreless first inning, Evangel stuck first with a two-out RBI single from Caleb Cranford after lead-off hits from Asher Evans and Kemp Swords.

The Lightning followed that up by getting the first two batters of the third to reach ahead of a Raley Curtis RBI single which doubled up the lead to 2-0.

Coosa Valley cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the third with a Sam Setzer RBI single to make it a 2-1 game.

Cranford immediately restored the two-run lead with a solo shot to start the top of the fourth, giving Evangel a 3-1 lead.

Aidan Cranford was then hit by a pitch and reached third off a passed ball and sacrifice bunt, setting him up to come home on an error off a Trey Hope bunt. Curtis then grounded out to first to allow Hope to come home after an error put him on third.

Zachary Grossman then drew a walk ahead of an Evans RBI single that took the lead to 6-1. The hit was the first of three-straight singles for the Lightning as Swords put runners on the corners for KC Gables, who made it a 6-1 game with an RBI single of his own.

However, a sixth-inning Coosa Valley rally put that victory in jeopardy.

A Jay Chapman double, Brett Hackett walk and Andrew Weaver hit by pitch loaded up the bases on the first three batters of the home half of the inning. Chapman then came home on a passed ball to cut the gap to 7-2.

Two batters later with the bases still loaded, Thomas Mullins continued the rally with a sacrifice fly, and Weaver and Jake McArthur would come home before the end of the inning to cut the deficit to 7-5.

However, Gables secured a strikeout to end the inning. Coosa Valley tried to finish the deal in the bottom of the seventh with two on and one out, but a double play ended the threat and gave the Lightning the win.

Evans was 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs and an RBI, Caleb Cranford finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run, Gables went 2-for-4 with a run and Swords had a 2-for-4 day at the plate.

Grossman started out the game with 10 strikeouts in five innings but was tagged for four earned runs out of five total runs off four hits and three walks. Gables finished the job with two shutout innings.

As for the Rebels, Setzer went 2-for-4 with an RBI while Chapman was 2-for-4 with a run along with five strikeouts in a three-inning start. McArthur got six strikeouts in 3.1 shutout innings to finish the game.

Evangel will take its 25-1 record into a doubleheader with the AISA’s Lakeside Chiefs on Tuesday, April 15 at 4 p.m. at The Lakeside School.

The Lightning will then close ACSC play with home games on Friday, April 18 at 6 p.m. against Southern Christian and Saturday, April 19 at 12:30 p.m. against Wiregrass before traveling to face the East Central HomeSchool Patriots on Monday, April 21 at 7 p.m.

Coosa Valley finished the regular season 13-19 overall and 9-3 in region play. As a result, the Rebels will host their first-round series in the Class A playoffs against the Crenshaw Christian Cougars on Tuesday, April 15 at Coosa Valley Academy.