Aggies claim county tournament

HAMILTON — The Hamilton High School Aggies are this year’s Marion County Baseball Tournament champions.
The county tournament began on Thursday, March 7, and concluded on March 9.
Beginning on Thursday afternoon, the Aggies hosted the Marion County Red Raiders in the first round of the county tournament.
The Aggies were off to a strong start in the tournament with a 14-1 victory over the Red Raiders.
Hamilton’s Mason Holloway batted 3-4 with four runs, four RBIs and three stolen bases.
Houston Tibbs batted 3-3, scoring four runs, three RBIs and two stolen bases.
Payton Purser batted 3-4 and brought in two RBIs.
Tripp Summers batted 2-4, scoring one run and two RBIs.
Jackson Chandler pitched for five innings, throwing five strikeouts and allowing one hit and one run.
Tye Madison got the hit and earned an RBI for the Raiders.
In the second game of the tournament, the Winfield Pirates played against the Hackleburg Panthers.
Like the Aggies, the Pirates were also off to a strong start, winning their first game 13-3, ending the game by scoring eight runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
For the Pirates, Hayden Ballard batted 2-2, scoring two runs and one RBI.
Kyson Key scored two runs. Brady May scored one run and one RBI.
Brayden McCaleb scored one run and three RBIs. He also batted 2-3.
John David Ray batted 3-4 and brought in three RBIs. Walt Hennicke brought in an RBI.
Declyn Morgan scored one run and brought in two RBIs.
Jarrett Hosch scored one run and two RBIs after batting 2-3.
Blaine Bowen hit 1-3 and scored one run.
On the mound, Ray pitched for five innings, allowing five hits, three walks and three runs while throwing three strikeouts.
Hackleburg’s Ross Hudson and Blaise Vickery each scored one run, with Blaise and JonHasten Stidham each bringing in one RBI.
In the second round of the tournament, the Hamilton Aggies played the Phillips Bears later on Thursday afternoon.
The Aggies won big once again, ending the Bears’ tournament run with a 23-4 victory.
For the Aggies, Tibbs hit 2-2 with two doubles, three runs and three RBIs.
Summers hit 1-2, scoring three runs.
Holloway hit 1-1, scoring two runs, and Jack Cantrell hit 1-1 and scored two runs.
Later that same evening, the Winfield Pirates played against the Brilliant Tigers to determine who would face the Aggies in the final game.
The Pirates won the game 16-6 to secure their spot in the final.
In that game, Kruz Box hit 3-4, scoring two runs and four RBIs.
Parker Dodd hit 2-4, scoring one run and two RBIs.
Declyn Morgan hit 1-2, scoring one run.
Jase Hollingsworth hit 1-3, scoring two runs and one RBI.
Spencery Haney scored three runs. Blake Quinn  scored two runs and one RBI.
Casen Sadberry scored two runs and one RBI.
Baron Smith scored one run and three RBIs.
On the mound, Morgan pitched for three innings, allowing no hits or runs but one walk, and throwing seven strikeouts.
Hollingsworth pitched one inning, allowing two hits but throwing three strikeouts.
Haney pitched briefly, allowing two runs off of six hits and three walks, while also throwing one strikeout.
Brady May threw one strikeout, and Ayers allowed one hit.
For the Tigers, Carson Lawrence hit 2-3 from the plate, with Braxton Canterberry, Lawrence, Norris, Pool and Hulsey each scoring one run.
From the mound, Lawrence pitched two innings, allowing nine runs and five walks, but striking out four.
Now the stage was set for the championship round between the hosting Hamilton Aggies and the Winfield Pirates.
The Pirates took an early lead as the game began, the Aggies tied the game 3-3 in the bottom of the third inning.
The Pirates briefly regained the lead in the top of the fourth, going ahead 4-3.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Aggies regained the lead, going up to 6-4.
The Pirates were able to score one run in the top of the fifth, but the Aggies were able to hold onto their lead and ended up winning the game 6-5.
For the Aggies, Holloway hit 2-3 and scored two runs. He also stole three bases.
Gilstrap hit 2-3, bringing in an RBI and stealing one base.
Tibbs was 1-1 with one run, one RBI and one stolen base.
Sam Ballard threw the game-winning pitch after pitching for 4.1 innings. He allowed four hits and two runs.
Gilstrap pitched for 2.2 innings, throwing four strikeouts and allowing no runs or hits….