Friday, March 6, 2026

Northridge High School Jaguars Sports (Tuscaloosa, Alabama)

BaseballSports

Late rally hands Jags victory over Helena at Kickoff Classic, 8-4

Michael Clements

The Northridge Jaguars drew an early game on Saturday at the Prep Baseball Alabama Kickoff Classic, taking on the Helena Huskies at 10AM. The two teams kept it close until the Jags put together a four run rally in the top of the seventh inning and held the Huskies scoreless to claim the 8-4 victory.

2-21-2026 — Northport, Ala. — Northridge’s Barron Gatlin fires a pitch to the plate during the Jaguars’ 8-4 victory over the Helena Huskies.

Northridge’s John Pruet drew a walk as the leadoff batter of the game, then stole second. After one out, Wyatt Rath’s grounder to short resulted in Rath making it to second, with Pruet scoring on the play. Two subsequent outs left Northridge with a 1-0 lead that held until the bottom of the second when Helena scored two runs to take a 2-1 lead.

2-21-2026 — Northport, Ala. — Northridge’s Ellis Tucker throws to first for an out during the Jaguars’ 8-4 victory over the Helena Huskies.

The Jags answered to tie the game in the top of the third. Pruet singled to lead off the inning. Following two outs, Cooper Obradovich singled to right field to move Pruet to third. After two pitches, Obradovich was caught between first and second and a run-down ensued, which Obradovich kept alive long enough for Pruet to score from third and tie the game at 2-2.

2-21-2026 — Northport, Ala. — Northridge’s Caden Chaney fires a pitch to catcher Wyatt Rath during the Jaguars’ 8-4 victory over the Helena Huskies.

Neither team scored again until the top of the fifth, when the Jags took a two run lead. Ellis Tucker led off being hit by a Helena pitch. Ford Cole followed with a double to right, scoring Tucker. Pruet’s third trip to the plate produced a single that scored Cole from second. Three consecutive outs ended the Jags turn at the plate. Unfortunately, the Huskies matched the Jags in the bottom of the inning, knotting the score again, this time at 4-4.

2-21-2026 — Northport, Ala. — Northridge’s Cooper Obradovich follows through and watches his pitch head to the plate during the Jaguars’ 8-4 victory over the Helena Huskies.

Northridge extinguished a mild threat from the Huskies in the bottom of the sixth inning to keep the score at 4-4. Then, the Jags turned in the game winning rally in the top of the seventh.

Charlie Wilson led off with a single to center. (Tucker re-entered the game to run for Wilson.) After one out, Tucker stole second. Pruet’s third single of the game would prove to be the game winner, scoring Tucker to give the Jags a 5-4 lead. After the second out of the inning, Rath was hit by a Helen pitch. With runners at first and second, Obradovich tripled to center, scoring Pruet and Rath, which increased the Jags’ lead to 7-4. The final Northridge run of the game came when Grayson Cannon singled to score brother Colton Cannon, who was in as a courtesy runner for Obradovich, who had taken over duties on the mound in the sixth inning. An out on the basepath ended the top half of the inning with the Jags holding the 8-4 lead.

2-21-2026 — Northport, Ala. — Northridge’s Charlie Wilson gets the first hit of the game winning rally during the Jaguars’ 8-4 victory over the Helena Huskies.

A strike out, a fly out to right and Tucker-to-Malone ground out sealed the 8-4 win for the Jags.

The Jags collected 10 hits on the morning outing. Pruet led Northridge at the plate, going 3-for-3. Pruet also scored three runs, collected three RBIs and was walked once. Obradovich totaled two hits and contributed two RBIs. Rath, Grayson Cannon, Mayson Elam, Wilson and Cole had one hit each.

2-21-2026 — Northport, Ala. — Northridge’s John Pruet rips an RBI single during the Jaguars’ 8-4 victory over the Helena Huskies.

Rath and Cannon added one RBI each for the Jags. Tucker scored two runs, with Rath and Cole crossing the plate once each.

Barron Gatlin got the start on the mound and completed four innings. Gatlin struck out two and issued three walks, giving up two runs on two hits. Caden Chaney completed 1-1/3 innings on the mound. Chaney struck out one, walked two and gave up two runs on four hits. Obradovich got the win, completing 1-2/3 innings, striking out two batters and giving up no walks, hits or runs.

2-21-2026 — Northport, Ala. — Northridge’s Cooper Obradovich rips a two RBI triple to center field during the Jaguars’ 8-4 victory over the Helena Huskies.