By WESLEY HALLMAN / Sports Editor

The Briarwood Christian School baseball team split a playoff doubleheader with Chilton County in a best-of-three series in the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 5A quarterfinals May 4.

The Lions will face Chilton County in the deciding third game in the series May 5 at noon in Clanton.

Briarwood Christian dropped the series opener 7-6 in eight innings before rallying for a 7-2 win over Chilton County in the nightcap.

Matthew Furuto, who drove in two runs and scored one run, went 1-for-1 at the plate with a homer in the victory.

Ben Craft finished 1-for-3 at the plate with a double in the nightcap. Craft drove in one run in the win. Ethan Simmons went 1-for-2 at the plate and drove in two runs in the win.

Carter Tyra and Kevin McKelvey scored two runs each, while Daniel Robert and Brayden Housel scored one run each in the win.

Barnes Bankston earned the win on the mound after giving up two unearned runs on six hits with three strikeouts in a complete-game victory.

Robert led the Lions offensively in the opening game as he finished 3-for-4 at the plate with a double. Robert drove in one run.

Housel finished 2-for-4 at the plate and drove in one run. Tanner Cunningham went 2-for-4 at the plate and scored one run.

Craft, who drove in two runs and scored one run, finished 1-for-2 at the plate with a homer. Furuto went 1-for-4 at the plate and drove in two runs. Cole Pearson went 1-for-3 at the plate. Simmons finished 1-for-4 at the plate. Tyra scored one run.

Jake Bracewell took the loss after giving up two earned runs on three hits. Cameron Adams started on the mound and gave up five runs, including four earned runs, on 10 hits with five strikeouts in seven innings.