By Andrew Clay | Messenger intern

It was a pristine Saturday as the Charles Henderson Trojans swept away the Rams of Brewbaker Tech to move into the next round of the state playoffs.

The senior pitching duo of Houston Mabray and Tripp Blackmon kept the Brewbaker Tech offense off balance allowing only two runs during the double header.

Mabray pitched a complete game in the first, allowing only one run on six hits while racking up 10 strikeouts and surrendering no walks.

Blackmon backed up his teammates performance, in the second contest with his own complete game.

After walking the first batter, he settled down ending the contest with four strikeouts, three hits and the lone opening walk.

“Both pitchers threw great today,” CHHS head coach Derek Irons said. “Tripp pitched a great game in the second game to give our bats a chance to warm up in the fourth.”

It was the fourth inning of the second game as the night cooled off that CHHS caught fire with nine runs on seven hits.

“I’m proud of how we played,” Irons said. “Bannister (Brewbaker Tech pitcher) kept us off balance for three innings. We just couldn’t get a hit until the fourth, when we couldn’t miss.”

Irons was pleased with how his team was able to stay focused and kept a good approach after early hitting struggles.

That approach paid off again as only two innings later, in the sixth, the Trojans racked up another nine runs putting away the Rams.

Irons was pleased with how his team was able to stay focused and kept a good approach after early hitting struggles. The second game was called after six complete innings with the score 20-1, in the Trojans’ favor.

CHHS advances to the second round where they will play Alabama Christian Academy on the road next Friday.

“We know Alabama Christian Academy is a good team,” Irons said. “We saw them earlier in the year and there is nobody left in the playoffs that isn’t a good team.”

The Trojans are ranked No. 1 in 4A by the Alabama Sports Writer’s Association and the team has reached the playoffs for 15 straight seasons with their last championship coming in 2004.

“I really like our team and our guys,” Irons said. “I’m excited that we have another week to get better and that I get to spend another week with these guys.”