A number of area high school teams got their 2025 baseball seasons off to a start this weekend, including Zion Chapel, Pike Liberal Arts, Charles Henderson and Pike County.

The Pike Liberal Arts Patriots (0-1) opened the season on Feb. 15 with a tough 5-4 loss to Class 4A’s Opp. Pike scored four runs in the second inning to go up 4-0, but Opp scored two runs in the fifth and two in the seventh to force extra innings. In the ninth, the Bobcats secured the game-winning run. 

Jacob Bowen led Pike, going 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and a run, while Pruitt Vaughan went 2-for-4 and Luke Barron went 2-for-5. Dawson Bradford, Garrett Whitaker and Charlie Fountain scored one run each. Kade Brookins pitched three innings and struck out five batters, while giving up one hit and no earned runs. Bradford also pitched four innings and fanned four batters, while giving up five hits and three earned runs. 

Pike Lib plays at Providence Christian on Monday and travels to Geneva on Feb. 20. 

The Charles Henderson Trojans (0-1) started off the season with a 4-2 loss to Wetumpka on Feb. 14. The two sides were tied 2-2 going into the eighth inning when Wetumpka scored two runs to win it. 

Kellen Stewart went 2-for-2 at the plate for the Trojans, while Clay Johnson and Ben Cochran scored two runs each. Wes Templin pitched four innings and struck out five batters along with giving up two hits and one earned run. Blake Lowery also pitched three innings and struck out three batters, while giving up two hits and two earned runs. Stewart earned seven putouts and two assists on defense, while Johnson tallied seven putouts. 

The Pike County Bulldogs (0-1) opened the season with a 10-6 loss to Houston County on Feb. 14. Britt Albritton had a big day at the plate for PCHS, going 3-for-3 with a triple, three RBIs, two runs and four stolen bases. He also pitched four innings and fanned four batters, while giving up five hits and two earned runs. Mark Griffin and Michael Gabel scored two runs each. Gabel also pitched two innings and struck out four batters along with giving up one hit and five earned runs. 

Pike County plays at Highland Home on Feb. 18 and travels to Goshen on Feb. 21. 

The Zion Chapel Rebels (1-0) opened the season on Feb. 15 with an 8-5 win over Class 5A’s Carroll. ZCHS trailed 5-3 going into the seventh inning but rallied to score five runs in the seventh to win. 

Brodie Stinson went 3-for-4 at the plate with two doubles, one RBI and two runs, while Joseph LeGear went 2-for-3 with one run. Brady Flowers also scored two runs and earned two RBIs, while pitching three innings and striking out five batters. He gave up two hits and one earned run. John Foster Hamm scored one run on offense and also pitched two and 1/3 innings with three strikeouts along with two hits and one earned run given up. Macon Allen and Trent Elrod also scored one run each for the Rebels. Dylan Davis also pitched one and 2/3 innings innings and fanned one batter, while giving up just one hit and no runs.

Zion Chapel plays a doubleheader with TR Miller and Headland on Feb. 17 before hosting Ariton on Feb. 20. 

The reining Class 2A State Champion Ariton Purple Cats (2-0) also picked up their second straight win of the season to start the year, with a 4-2 victory of Class 5A’s Headland on Feb. 14. The two sides were all knotted up 1-1 going into the sixth inning when the Cats scored three runs. Aven Cook and Wells Ganey both scored on errors, while Easton Kilpatrick scored on a wild pitch. Headland managed one run in the bottom of the sixth but that was the Rams’ final score of the game. 

Ganey led Ariton at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run. Austin Evans got the win on the mound, striking out two batters and giving up one hit and no runs in two innings pitched. Hayes Hammock pitched three innings and fanned four batters, while giving up three hits and no earned runs. 

Ariton will play Dale County on Monday and travel to Zion Chapel on Feb. 20. 

The Goshen Eagles (0-2) were also in action for the second time, falling 4-0 to Elba on Feb. 14. Tyler McLendon led Goshen at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double, while also pitching four innings and mowing down eight batters. He gave up one hit and three earned runs. Jack Redmon, Parks Snyder and Grant Taylor each had one hit. Redmon also earned 15 putouts on defense. 

Goshen rematches Elba on the road on Feb. 20.