from sealing up Area Title

By STEVEN G. WATSON

Sports Editor

The Charles Henderson High School Trojan baseball team took another big step towards an Area Title Friday.

With a 9-3 win over Russell County to complete the Area sweep of the Warriors, the Trojans (22-8 overall, 4-0 in Area play) are now only one game away from clinching at least a share of the Class 5A Area 4 Championship.

CHHS allowed only one run in the first, the third and one on the final play of the game before clinching the win.

Hunter Mathews got the win for the Trojans pitching with an injured left wrist and going six and one-third innings allowing only three hits and striking out five. Jonathan Neeley got the save coming in in the seventh.

After going down 1-0 in the top half of the first, Scott Stetson got things started in the Trojans’ half of the first with a walk and eventually scored on an RBI single by Jason Barron.

The Trojans got two more plated in the inning on a couple of singles by Clint Pugh and Will Jones and a couple of Warrior errors.

Russell County got a run in the third to pull within one, but the Trojans broke out three runs in the bottom of the third on three straight singles by Chris Boswell, Pugh and Jones.

Kevin Stephens then grounded out to the right side of the infield to score another. Jones then made a spectacular play from third stealing home under a pitch to Jarod Kelly.

The senior charged the plate just as the pitcher began his pitch and slid head first safely just in front the shocked Russell County catcher.

Neeley, batting as the designated hitter, put two more on the board with a towering shot to left that gave him a free tour of the bases. Then the final score of the game for CHHS came in the fifth as Stetson made it across home plate after a lead-off double.

Pugh had a big day for the Trojans going 3-for-4 with a double. Stetson continued his hot streak at the plate with a 2-for-3 day two mirror Jones’ performance. Gralheer had a double and Boswell and Barron added singles.

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In other Area 4 action, Carroll defeated Eufaula Friday 2-0, but still stand in second with a 3-1 Area record.

With the Eagles keeping pace, a CHHS win over Eufaula Monday combined with a Carroll win over Russell County would leave a game Friday between the Eagles and Trojans. A Carroll win would result in a tie with both teams finishing at 5-1 and a tie-breaker would have to be played.

Game time with Eufaula is set for 5 p.m. Monday at Frazier Field on the CHHS campus.