Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

PELHAM – Playing for more than themselves on Saturday, March 13, the Pelham baseball team took the field sporting their teal uniforms for the seventh annual Field of Teal event at Pelham High School.

The Panthers took on Sylacauga and Hewitt-Trussville in a doubleheader on their home field, but more importantly represented the Laura Crandall Brown Foundation to raise money and awareness for ovaria cancer.

The event started after head baseball coach Sean Anderson’s wife, Tammy, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and has continued for seven years.

Pelham wasn’t just playing for Tammy Anderson, but all others who have battled or are battling ovarian cancer.

In a special day of events, the Panthers were able to kick off the festivities with a strong 5-1 win against Sylacauga for their second win in a row before Hewitt-Trussville continued an impressive season with a 6-3 win over PHS later in the day.

Against Sylacauga, Pelham got off to a strong start on a lead-off double from J.D. Wilkins, which was followed by a single from Zach Egan.

During Eli Chambers’ at bat, Wilkins was able to score on an error by the third baseman, while a sac bunt from Chambers moved Egan to third with one out.

Christian Pritchett then picked up an RBI on a ground out to second base, which allowed Egan to score and make it 2-0 Pelham at the end of the first.

The game quieted down over the next two innings, with no runs crossing the plate.

But Syalcauga put an end to that when the Aggies got an RBI triple in the top of the fourth to draw within a run. They did, however, leave a runner stranded at third base.

Pelham’s drought continued through the bottom half of the inning, but the Panthers were able to come back for a strong finish.

They got one run in the bottom of the fifth on an error off a hit from Chambers, which drove home Wilkins who had a triple to lead off the inning.

The Panthers followed that with two more in the bottom of the sixth on a passed ball and a sac fly to create the final score of 5-1.

Wilkins led the way at the plate going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a walk. Egan went 1-for-3 with an RBI, while Hayden Jackson also went 1-for-3.

Chase Christian got the start on the mound and allowed two hits with three strikeouts in four innings of work. Egan finished off the final three innings allowing one hit and striking out two.

Against Hewitt-Trussville, Pelham fell behind 3-0 after giving up one run each in the first three innings.

But the Panthers fought back in the bottom of the third with two sacrifice flies to make it 3-2.

A three-run fifth, however, was the difference in a 6-3 win for the Huskies as Pelham’s only other run came on an RBI double from Wilkins in the bottom of the sixth.

Wilkins went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored in the loss, while Chambers and Pritchett each had one hit.