Hartselle and Pell City split, will meet on Saturday for rubber match
Apr. 27—PELL CITY — Hartselle and Pell City will play a deciding Game 3 on Saturday after the two teams split their first two games of Friday's second-round playoff series.
Hartselle dominantly won the first game 14-4, but lost the second 3-1. The two teams will play Game 3 on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Pell City.
"We just have to continue to compete," Hartselle coach Jake Miles said. "We had some competitive at-bats in that Game 2 that just didn't go our way, but we still competed. We have to continue to do that tomorrow because we know it's all about that series."
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Hartselle 14, Pell City 4: Senior shortstop Cade Miles had a monster game Friday in Game 1 as the Tigers breezed past Pell City.
After two scoreless innings, Miles broke open the game with a two-run home run that kick-started an eight-run third inning for the Tigers.
Miles had two hits and five RBIs in the third inning and finished with three hits and six RBIs for the game.
"I was just on time and flat," Miles said. "I've been getting under the baseball lately, so I just had to get back flat like I was earlier in the year."
The juice Miles' home run gave the team couldn't be understated.
"It was 0-0, and then I hit and our team just erupted," Miles said.
Andrew Coleman had three hits and two RBIs, while Cam Palahach had two hits and two RBIs and JoJo Williamson added two hits.
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Pell City 3, Hartselle 1: Hartselle's vaunted offense managed just two hits in a rough loss in Game 2 of the series.
Pell City outhit the Tigers 7-2 and scored single runs in the second, fifth and seventh innings to take the win.
Pell City's Brayley Smith pitched a complete game for the Panthers, striking out 13 batters.
"That was an ace pitcher that they just threw against us," Hartselle coach Jake Miles said. "He was in rhythm all night, and we could never break it. That's one of the best arms we've faced all year."
Brody Leathers and Andrew Coleman had the lone hits for the Tigers, while JoJo Willamson had the only RBI.
Nick Chumley pitched a complete game on the mound, allowing seven hits and three runs with a strikeout.
— caleb.suggs@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2395. Twitter @CalebSuggs2
