Panthers, Rebels play classic in tournament

Published 4:04 pm Monday, March 19, 2012

Neither Jemison nor Thorsby won the Chilton County Baseball Tournament last week, but the two teams might have played the best game of the event.

Jemison defeated Thorsby, 6-5, in 10 innings on March 17 in a semifinal game to avenge a loss to the Rebels earlier in the tournament.

The Panthers built a 4-0 lead, watched as THS tied the game and then won in the bottom of the 10th when a Jacob Hatch one-out bloop single over first base dropped just in, then kicked into foul territory, allowing Jacob Bass to score from second base.

An exhausted JHS team fell to rival Chilton County, 12-2, in the tournament final.

Jemison trailed 3-2 after 3 1/2 innings, but CCHS plated six runs in the bottom of the fourth and never looked back.

Austin Broadhead, Alex Campbell and Danny Eslinger had Jemison’s only hits in the game. Austin Chapman and Dylan Higgins each took two walks.

Thorsby started the double-elimination tournament red hot, defeating Jemison and Verbena, but then fell in consecutive games to Chilton and Jemison.

After falling to the Rebels, the Panthers fought their way through the losers bracket with wins over Maplesville and Verbena.