The best season in Oak Mountain baseball history came to an end on Saturday when the Eagles were eliminated from the Class 6A playoffs by fourth-ranked Clay-Chalkville.

The Eagles (27-9) lost a close first game to the Cougars(34-7), 9-7, and struggled in the second game, losing 15-2 to end the season.

&8220;The first game we had our chances to win,&8221; Oak Mountain head coach Tommy Youngblood said. &8220;The second game they got into our pitching staff early and we couldn&8217;t make anything happen.&8221;

The Eagles Bronson McGriff took the loss on the mound in the second game, giving up three hits, three walks and five runs while striking out two batters in three innings of work. Russ Harper took the loss for Oak Mountain in the first game.

Youngblood said he was proud of what his team accomplished this season.

&8220;They had more wins than any other Oak Mountain team has had,&8221; he said. &8220;They won the Jefferson County tournament and their region. They&8217;ve done things that we&8217;ve never been able to accomplish at this school before.&8221;

The loss to Clay-Chalkville marked the end of eight Oak Mountain seniors&8217; careers. Six of those eight players will go on to play college baseball next season.

&8220;We hated to end our season like this,&8221; Youngblood said. &8220;These guys battled and competed every game. The played every game as hard as they could.&8221;

The Cougars advance to the semifinals with the victory where they will face the Thompson Warriors in a best-of-three series. Game times for the first two games of that series are scheduled for 4:30 and 7 p.m. on Friday at Jim &8220;Peanut&8221; Davenport Field in Alabaster. A third game is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday, if necessary