The Ariton Purple Cats (25-10) hosted the Tuscaloosa Academy Knights in the second round of the Class 2A State Baseball Playoffs on Thursday, April 24, splitting the first two games. 

Ariton dominated game one, scoring seven runs in the first inning and run-ruling the Knights 11-1 in five innings. 

Bryce Odom led the Cats at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs, while Brodie Lowery went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a run. Pierce Gill went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs. Hayes Hammock scored two runs. Easton Kilpatrick pitched all five innings and fanned five batters, while giving up three hits and one earned run. 

In game two, Tuscaloosa Academy rebounded to tie the series with a 5-3 victory. The score was tied 2-2 in the sixth inning only for the Knights to score three runs to take a 5-2 lead. Ariton’s Conner Davidson hit a solo home run in the seventh inning to cut the lead to 5-3 but that was as close as the Cats would get. 

Davidson went 2-for-3 with a homer, one RBI and one run, while Wells Ganey and Kilpatrick scored one run each. Austin Evans pitched six innings and fanned three batters, while giving up nine hits and four earned runs. 

Ariton and Tuscaloosa Academy will play game three of the series on Friday at 4 p.m. in Ariton. The winner moves on to play Pike Lib in the quarterfinals next week.