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The Calera Eagles took care of business in round one of the Class 6A state playoffs, defeating the McAdory Yellow Jackets in two games as a result of stellar pitching outings. (For the Reporter/Larry Dancy)

By SARAH TURNER | Special to the Reporter 

CALERA – The Calera Eagles swept the McAdory Yellow Jackets in the first round of the 6A playoffs on Friday, April 18, securing victory thanks to two games of stellar pitching. 

The Eagles outscored the Yellow Jackets 18-2 across both games, allowing just a combined eight hits for the night from their opponents.

Back on April 1, Calera took care of the McAdory 8-1 at home, looking to come away with a similar victory in the postseason.

Throughout the first game, Eagles’ senior pitcher Aiden Agee took care of business. The Dean College commit had three easy strikeouts in the top of the first for the Eagles to quickly put Calera on offense.

In the bottom of the first, an RBI single for AJ Johnson’s first at-bat put the Eagles on top first.

Agee saw only three batters in the top of the second inning, and made quick work of all three.

Parker Breeding led off the bottom of the second with a walk, which was followed by an error on a grounder from Chase Herring that put two aboard. An RBI groundout from Kegan Johnson followed by an RBI single from Jaiden Brown quickly made it 3-0 through two innings of play.

McAdory’s first offensive production of the game came in the top of the third with a single from pitcher DJ Dozier, but the inning ended on the next pitch after Dozier attempted to steal second base.

Herring continued to prove effective at the plate in the bottom of the third with a hard-hit ball to left field for a double that brought home another run to put the Eagles on top 4-0. Two batters later, Johnson singled to right field to bring Herring home and make it 5-0. 

After a quiet fourth inning, Calera busted the game open with a five-run bottom of the fifth that ultimately finished the game.

An RBI single from Johnson was followed by a two-RBI double from Mac Graham that made it 8-0. Graham then scored shortly after due to pitching blunders from McAdory, while Dalton Ash did the same with the game’s final run on a wild pitch.

Johnson’s three RBIs on a 2-for-4 day at the plate led the way, while Brown finished 2-for-3 with an RBI. Graham added two RBIs on one hit, while Herring finished with one RBI and a hit.

Agee took care of business on the mound with a complete-game shutout featuring seven strikeouts.

The second game of the doubleheader was tighter for a while, but Calera’s offense prevailed once again. 

It was McAdory, however, that took an early 1-0 lead, which the Jackets held onto through the second inning.

Calera responded in the top of the third with a three-run outburst thanks to an RBI single from Ash, a passed ball allowing Brown to cross the plate and an RBI single from David Gutierrez.

That became the first of three consecutive innings with runs as the Eagles got one in the top of the fourth with another passed ball allowing Herring to score and one more in the top of the fifth on another passed ball allowing Ash to score.

McAdory responded with a run in the home half of the fifth, but that was the final time the Jackets crossed the plate in the series.

Leading 5-2, Calera gathered all of the insurance it needed in the top of the seventh with another three-run inning that featured two RBI triples, one from Breeding and one from Johnson, as well as an RBI groundout from Herring to put the finishing touches on an 8-2 win.

Ash finished game two 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Eagles at the plate in helping complete the sweep, while Gutierez finished with two hits. Johnson and Breeding each added one hit and one RBI, while Herring finished with an RBI and Johnson a hit.

Johnson also got the start on the mound and struck out seven in six innings of work, allowing five hits and one earned run. Ash finished off the final inning with two strikeouts recorded.

The Eagles now move on to face the Dolphins of Gulf Shores in the next round of the playoffs on Friday, April 25, with a time to be announced.

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