Baseball state playoffs leadoff this weekend

Published 2:45 pm Tuesday, April 19, 2022

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By Carey Reeder | Staff Writer

Four local baseball teams have punched their tickets to the AHSAA 2022 state baseball playoffs. Thorsby High School, Isabella High School, Maplesville High School and Billingsley High School teams will all embark on their quest to bring home a state title on April 22.

Thorsby finished with a perfect record in Class 2A Area 6, and the Rebels finished the season with a 14-9 record. Thorsby finished runner-up in the Chilton County baseball tournament.

The Rebels will take on Class 2A Area 3 runner-up Ariton High School (11-11) on April 22 at 4 and 6:30 p.m. The next day at 1 p.m. will be the rubber match if the teams split the first two games. All state rounds are three-game series.

Their area rival, the Isabella Mustangs, rode a duo of starting pitchers in Colton Conway and Tyler Mims to an impressive 12-4 record. Three of the Mustangs loses were to the Rebels. Isabella travels to the Class 2A Area 3 winner G.W. Long High School (21-7) on April 22 at 4 and 6 p.m. The following day at noon will be the rubber match, if necessary.

The Maplesville Red Devils had arguably the best second half of the 2022 season of all the Chilton County teams. The Red Devils won their last seven games of the season including sweeping Billingsley, 8-7 on April 12 and 12-2 on April 13, to win the Class 1A Area 6 title with a 9-5 record. Maplesville will host the Class 1A Area 3 runner-up Red Level High School (6-8) on April 22 at 1 and 3:30 p.m. Game three will be the next day at 10 a.m., if needed.

Although dropping the last two games to Maplesville, Billingsley finished second in the area to earn a spot in the bracket. The Bears finished with a respectable 13-6 record and will travel to Brantley High School (10-5-2) on April 22 at 4 and 6:30 p.m. for their first-round matchup. Game three is the next day at 1 p.m., if necessary.