Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
9:55 am Friday, April 26, 2002

Rebels grab first round win

By By Ryan Satcher / staff writer
April 26, 2002
One way to avoid having to play the third game of a best-of-three series is to break out the bats.
Heidelberg Academy banged out 13 runs on 12 hits to run-rule visiting Tri-County Academy 13-3 on Thursday afternoon. The win completes the sweep for the Rebels in the first round MPSA Class 1A playoff series.
Mason Key led Heidelberg as he went 3-for-3 with a big home run and four RBIs.
Ryan Aultman pitched all five innings for Heidelberg and allowed only three hits while striking out five to pick up the victory.
Tri-County jumped ahead in the first inning. Jeremy Nivens walked to start the game and later scored on a two-out infield hit by Nick Fowler. Aultman worked out of a bases loaded jam to keep the score 1-0 after the top of the first inning.
Heidelberg responded with two runs in the bottom of the first. Brent Welch led off the inning with a single. Heath Ainsworth came through with a single to give the Rebels runners at first and third. Heidelberg then pulled off a double steal to bring Welch in to tie the score. Matthew Andrews came through with a clutch two-out hit to bring in another run to make the score 2-1 after one inning.
Tri-County scored a run in the second to tie up the game but Heidelberg responded with four runs in its half of the second inning. J.R. Stephenson reached on an error to start the inning. Key followed with his home run to left field. The two-run shot gave Heidelberg a 4-2 lead.
Joe McLeod continued the inning with a walk. Blake Bass got a hit to left and the ball bounced away from the left fielder to give the Rebels runners at second and third. Ainsworth came through with a double to knock in one run and make the score 5-2. Bass later scored on a wild pitch to score the fourth run of the inning and make the score 6-2.
Heidelberg scored another two runs in the third inning when Bass doubled in Key and Welch to make the score 8-2. Tri-County was able to get one run back when a throwing error allowed a runner to score in the top of the fourth.
With the score 8-3, the Rebels put the game away in the fourth inning. Three straight walks loaded the bases for Heidelberg. Key came through with a single to knock in two runs and make the score 10-3.
The visitors brought in a new pitcher but that didn't help any. McLeod ripped the first pitch from the reliever out to left to make the score 13-3. The Rebels didn't score any more in the inning but held on in the fifth to win by the ten-run rule.
With the win Heidelberg advances to the next round of the MPSA Class 1A playoffs and improves to 15-5. The Rebels will face the winner of the Newton County Academy and University Christian School series on Tuesday and finish the series on Thursday. UCS leads the series 1-0. If the Flames win the series the teams will flip a coin to see where the first game will be played. If Newton wins the series, the teams will face each other in Decatur on Tuesday.

Also on Franklin County Times
County school board adopts $52M budget
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
September 17, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE Franklin County Schools has adopted a $52 million budget for fiscal year 2026, reflecting a $2.5 million increase over last year. The bud...
Judge denies YO status for Phinizee
Main, News, Z - News Main
Bernie Delinski For the FCT 
September 17, 2025
FLORENCE — Youthful offender status was denied Tuesday for a 17-year-old charged with the death of a 13-yearold during what authorities said was a rob...
RCS passes $43.3M budget
Main, News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
September 17, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE -- The city school board has approved a $43.3 million budget for the 2025-26 school year. Chief Financial Officer Lisa Witt said revenues...
Program tackles stress of caregiver burnout
News, Records, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
September 17, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE -- Many people deal with caregiver burnout. Kids and Kin childcare partner Marquita Wilson presented a program at the Russellville Public...
Flavil Wayne McCaig
Obituaries
September 17, 2025
Flavil Wayne McCaig Sept. 12, 2025   Flavil Wayne McCaig, 82, of Russellville, passed away Sept. 12 at his residence. He was born March 3, 1943, to Au...
Cultura Garden Club begins its year with roses and plans for fall
Columnists, News, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
September 17, 2025
The Cultura Garden Club held its first meeting of the year. President Cheri McCain presided. She provided information on projects and programs for the...
We can’t afford to lose electric vehicle industry
Columnists, Opinion
September 17, 2025
In Alabama, we understand what it means to build things that matter. We’ve long been home to builders and winners – our steel won wars and built the s...
Firefighters, cadets honor 9/11 with stair climbs
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
September 17, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE – Firefighters and RHS JROTC cadets participated in a stair climb in recognition of the 24th anniversary of 9-11. Sgt. Grant Tarascou and...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *