Jags close out regular season with 10-5 at Sipsey Valley
The Northridge Jags traveled to Sipsey Valley to take on the Bears in their final regular season game of the 2024 season. After trailing a few lead changes through four innings, the Jags pulled out in front in the top of the fifth and added three insurance runs in the top of the seventh to secure the 10-5 win.
Mayson Elam led off the top of the first inning by drawing a walk and advanced to third on a Sipsey Valley error. Cade Senn followed with a double to left, plating Elam for what would be the Jags’ only run of the inning.
The Bears were next to get on the board, scoring three runs in the bottom of the second. However, the Jags matched the Bears with three runs of their own in the top of the third. Milo Obradovich led off with a double to left. Jack Sanderson was hit by pitch, putting Jags on first and second and Thomas Woolf drew a walk to load the bases. After an infield fly, Evan Malone singled to right, scoring Obradovich. Sanderson and Woolf moved up one base, to keep the bases loaded for the Jags. Anthony Messina walked on five pitches, allowing Sanderson to cross the plate and moving up Woolf and Malone. Kyle Nunnally’s sacrifice to left allowed Woolf to tag up and score the final run of the inning for the Jags, who now held a 4-3 lead.
Sipsey Valley tied it up in the bottom of the third, held the Jags in the top of the fourth and took the lead at 5-4, after scoring a run in the bottom of the fourth.
Northridge got back on track, scoring three runs in the top of the fifth, to take a 7-5 lead. With one out in the inning, Logan Caldwell doubled to left. Malone followed with his own double, scoring Caldwell. After the second out of the inning, Nunnally singled to left, plating Malone. Elam followed with a single, moving Nunnally to second. Senn picked up a single short and an error allowed Senn to reach second. On the play, Nunnally scored the last run of the inning for the Jags.
Things were quiet until the top of the seventh when Northridge added another three runs to their lead. Malone led off with a double to left and Messina laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Malone all the way to third. Nunnally the followed with a triple to right, scoring Malone, then scored himself on a wild pitch by the Bears. After Elam drew a walk and the Jags gave up their second out of the inning, Elam stole second and took third on a passed ball. Obradovich walked, giving the Jags runners at the corners. Sanderson singled to plate Elam with the Jags final run of the game.
Senn took over duties on the mound for the final at-bat for Sipsey Valley and sat the Bears down in order on three ground ball outs, securing the 10-5 victory.
Malone led the Jags at the plate, going 3-for-4 on the evening. Senn and Nunnally each collected two hits for the Jags. Elam, Obradovich, Sanderson, Caldwell and Messina added one hit each. Nunnally took the top spot for RBIs with three. Malone followed with two and Senn, Sanderson and Messina contributed one RBI each. Elam, Malone and Nunnally scored two runs each. Obradovich, Sanderson, Woolf and Caldwell added one run each.
Adam Hall, Burns Brumfield, Messina and Senn shared pitching duties on the mound. Hall went 1-2/3 innings, striking out one, walking one, allowing three runs on three hits. Brumfield went 1-1/3 innings, striking out one, and giving up one run on three hits. Messina completed three innings on the mound, striking out one, walking two, while giving up a single run on three hits. Senn finished off the game, going final inning with no runs and no hits.
As the Class 6A Area 6 Champions, the Jags will be off until Friday when they host the Saraland Spartans at the Ridge. Two games are slated for Friday afternoon and evening, with Game 1 starting at 5pm. If there is a split on Friday night, Game 3 will start at 1pm on Saturday.