By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Sports Editor

HOOVER – Spain Park’s offense was clicking on Monday night, Feb. 26, as they picked up eight hits and 11 runs in a shortened five-inning 10-run rule win over Shelby County by a final score of 11-1 in front of a home crowd.

The Jags scored two or more runs in three of the five innings and had three or more in two of those innings to post their 11 runs, while Sam Dozier and Noah Burns combined to allow just three hits and one run on the mound to complete the dominant effort.

After starting the season with losses in two of its first three games, including a 15-2 loss to Auburn and an 8-5 loss to Pelham, Spain Park has rebounded with three consecutive wins.

Leading up to the game against Shelby County, the Jaguars reeled off an 11-0 win against Decatur and an exciting 15-14 win against the Sparkman Senators.

In that win against the Senators, Spain Park trailed 14-5 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, but somehow battled back to win. The Jags scored three runs in the sixth and then an unreal seven runs in the bottom half of the final inning to pull off the miraculous win.

The final run came when Brody Richey drove a double to left field that allowed Colby Mills to cross the plate for the walk-off win. Mills had a stellar game going 4-for-4 with five RBIs and three runs scored.

That offensive firepower carried over into the Jags’ matchup on Monday night against Shelby County as the offense posted three runs in the bottom of the first to pick up right where they had left off two days earlier.

Spain Park didn’t do anything spectacular in the inning, but played smart baseball and took advantage of an early error that allowed leadoff hitter Cooper White to reach base.

Dozier eventually brought White around to score on an RBI single to left field to give the Jags a quick 1-0 lead.

After Colton Ledbetter reached base on a fielder’s choice and Matthew Moser was walked, Spain Park had loaded the bases with just one out in the inning.

Ledbetter scored during Mills’ at bat thanks to a passed ball, before Mills hit a sacrifice fly to right field that allowed courtesy runner Matthew Robbins to score Spain Park’s third run of the inning.

Dozier allowed his only run of the game in the top of the second inning as Connor Aderholt grounded to second base allowing Wyatt Miskelley to score.

Still up 3-1, the Jags added to their lead with one run in the bottom of the third, before busting the game open in the bottom of the fourth with five runs.

Spain Park took advantage of three walks in the first four at bats of the inning to load the bases.

A passed ball followed by a single from Mills allowed three runs to eventually cross the plate, which gave the Jaguars a 7-1 advantage.

John Kennington doubled during the next at bat to put two more runners on base before a sac fly from Jarrod Kennington and a single from Adam Wygle brought in two more runs to give them a 9-1 lead after four innings of play.

Spain Park added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth when Jarrod Kennington hit a two-RBI single to left field to extend the Jags’ lead to 10 and put in play the 10-run rule win at the end of five innings.

Jarrod Kennington led the Jags at the plate going 2-for-3 with three RBIs, while Wygle went 2-for-3 with one RBI. Mills went 1-for-1 with two walks, three RBIs and two runs scored.

Dozier picked up the win on the mound after tossing four innings of three-hit baseball. He allowed one unearned run and struck out five. Burns picked up the save by picking up the final three outs, including two strike outs.

Photos available at Shelbycountyphotos.com