Dale County Chronicle
Part 1 of Doubleheader
The Ariton Purple Cats faced off against the Reeltown Rebels on Thursday for the 3rd round in the AHSAA Playoffs. Due to rain, the games were moved to Elmore County High School, but the Purple Cats did not let a change in plans throw them off their game.
Ariton went into the third part of the playoffs with a lot of momentum. The completed clean sweeps of Pike Liberal Arts in Round 1 and Ranburne in Round 2, building up the confidence needed going into the final keg of this portion of the AHSAA Playoffs.
In the first part of the doubleheader, Ariton used timely hitting, aggressive base running, and solid defense to earn a 5-2 win over the Reeltown Rebels.
Reeltown struck first in the opening inning when Reed Wood delivered an RBI single to give the Rebels an early 1-0 advantage.
Ariton responded in the top of the third inning with a three-run surge that shifted momentum in favor of the Purple Cats. Easton Kilpatrick lined a single down the left field line to drive in a run, Addison Senn later scored during the rally, and Bryson Rhett added a sacrifice fly to push Ariton ahead.
Kilpatrick also delivered on the mound for Ariton, earning the win after pitching five innings. The right-hander allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out three batters and issuing one walk.
Conner Davidson came on in relief and secured the save to help preserve the victory.
Rhett led the Purple Cats offensively with two RBIs while finishing 1-for-3 at the plate. Senn and Brodie Lowery each recorded two hits for Ariton during the contest.
The Purple Cats also showed patience at the plate, drawing six walks as a team. Wells Ganey accounted for three of those free passes. Senn added pressure on the bases with two stolen bases as Ariton totaled four steals in the game.
Defensively, Ariton turned two double plays and played error-free baseball throughout the matchup. Asa Thompson anchored the defense with a team-high 11 plays.
For Reeltown, Wood drove in both runs and finished 2-for-2 at the plate. Wood and Hutson Lewis each collected two hits for the Rebels.
With the win, Ariton continued its strong postseason push and will face Reeltown again for game 2 of the doubleheader later Thursday evening.
Part 2 of Doubleheader
Senn Strikes Out 13 as Ariton Defeats Reeltown 9-4 in Quarterfinal Matchup
Dale County Chronicle
The Ariton Purple Cats continued their strong momentum in the second game of the doubleheader on Thursday night. Thanks in large part to some strong pitching from Addison Senn and a late offensive surge, Ariton managed to defeat the Reeltown Rebels 9-4 in the second game Thursday at Elmore County High School.
Senn dominated on the mound for Ariton, recording 13 strikeouts over seven innings while allowing three hits and four runs with two walks.
Reeltown struck first in the opening inning when Reed Wood delivered an RBI single to give the Rebels a 1-0 advantage.
Ariton answered in the bottom of the third inning to take a 3-1 lead. Wells Ganey highlighted the inning with a two-run triple, and Senn later drove in another run on a groundout.
The Rebels battled back in the fifth inning and briefly moved in front 4-3 after Hutson Lewis singled to bring home two runs.
The Purple Cats responded quickly in the bottom half of the inning when Easton Kilpatrick ripped a double to center field after a lengthy six-pitch at-bat, tying the game at 4-4.
Ariton pulled away in the sixth inning with a four-run rally. Pierce Gill started the scoring with an RBI single down the right field line. Ganey and Kilpatrick each drew bases-loaded walks, while Senn and Bryson Rhett added RBI singles to extend the lead.
Jamarkius Smith took the loss for Reeltown after pitching five and two-thirds innings. He allowed seven runs on five hits while striking out eight batters and issuing four walks. Smith also turned in an immaculate inning in the second, striking out the side on just nine pitches.
Ganey paced the Purple Cats offensively with two RBIs from the No. 3 spot in the lineup. Gill and Rhett each collected two hits for Ariton, while Hayes Hammock drew two walks as the Purple Cats finished with six walks as a team.
For Reeltown, Branton Spraggins led the Rebels with two hits in three at-bats. Wood and Lewis each drove in two runs. Reeltown also played a clean defensive game without committing an error, and Spraggins led the team defensively with eight plays.
With the win, Ariton advances to face G.W. Long Rebels in the semifinal round Tuesday in Skipperville. The matchup will be interesting because both teams have had strong seasons and they are both County School system rivals.
Both images above are from Thursday night’s sub-state playoffs. (Ganey Photography)
