By Katie McElvy
Chambers 12, Hooper 0
After closing out the regular season beating Coosa Valley 9-2 earlier in the week, the Chambers Rebels met up with the Hooper Colts in the first round of the AISA AA Baseball Playoffs. The Rebels scored four runs in the bottom of the first. Jeremy Conway got things started with a single. After Taylor Birmingham was hit by a pitch, Ben Caulfield hit a ground ball to send Conway home and reached on an error. Jordan Benbrook then hit his own single, batting in a runner. Braxton Yerta popped up a sacrifice fly batting in a third score. Next, Jordan Benbrook stole home for the final score of the inning.
The Rebels only saw three Colt batters in the top of the second, and then Chambers heated up the bats again, scoring another four runs in the bottom of the inning. Corbin Piper reached on an error and was then batted in on a Conway single. Birmingham followed, reaching on error hitting in Conway. Caulfield and Benbrook both doubled, each driving in two runs.
Chambers picked up another two runs in the third with the help of a Kyle Hand single and a Birmingham sacrifice fly. The Rebels ended the game on a run rule in the bottom of the 4th. Benbrook picked up another double. Kross Colley reached on error, and Piper and Conway drove in the final two runs of the game.
Benbrook got the win on the mound, striking out four batters while only allowing three hits with no runs.
Chambers 17, Hooper 1
The Rebels traveled to Hooper for the second game of the series. Conway started the game with a double. Jordan Whaley hit a fly and reached on error driving in Conway. Birmingham grounded out but sent Whaley home in the process. Caulfield hit a double but was left stranded.
Hooper tried to make it a ballgame as they scored a run in the bottom of the first to make the score 2-1, but the Rebels put up nine runs in the second inning to seal the game. Ashton Chambers, Hand, Birmingham, Benbrook, and Conway all hit singles while Piper and Yerta drove in runs on a ground out and sacrifice fly, respectively.
The Rebels added six more runs in the third off singles by Birmingham, Caulfield, Benbrook, Yerta, Piper, and Colley.
Braxton Yerta got the win on the mound striking out two batters in two innings. Whaley struck out three batters in one inning in relief. The Rebels will face Patrician Academy in the second round of the playoffs.
