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By LAUREN SEXTON | Sports Reporter

HOOVER – Spain Park opened the 2023 season with a 2-1 start after taking on Helena, Stanhope Elmore and Hueytown Feb. 17-18.

The Jaguars were off to a rocky start in their opening game against Helena, as the Huskies gained a 2-0 lead after the first inning with Spain Park remaining scoreless until the bottom of the fourth.

Spain Park tied Helena 3-3 after Matthew Widra, Wesley Blackmon and Jacob Byrd scored. The Jaguars and the Huskies remained tied until the bottom of the seventh when Mathew Widra singled on a 1-2 count, scoring one run.

Jaguars’ pitcher James Battersby went four innings only allowing one run on four hits and striking out four, while John Robert Thompson started the game allowing three runs on four hits and striking out six.

The Jaguars totaled nine hits in the game against the Huskies with Evan Smallwood, Widra and Clay Spencer having hit multiple times for Spain Park. Smallwood went 3-4 at the plate.

Shortly after their win against the Huskies, the Jaguars lost to Stanhope Elmore in a 12-2 game. Stanhope Elmore scored seven runs in the first inning, while Spain Park remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth.

Spencer went 2-3 at the plate for the Jaguars against Stanhope Elmore.

Spain Park picked up a bounce-back win against the Hueytown Gophers in its final matchup of the day. The Jaguars defeated the Gophers 5-2.

Smallwood got the ball rolling for Spain Park after he hit into a fielder’s choice scoring one run at the bottom of the second.

Hueytown remained scoreless up until the top of the fifth, however, the Jaguars already had a 3-1 lead before scoring two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Daniel Watkins pitched for the Jaguars for four innings allowing five hits and three runs, while striking out six and walking zero.

Spain Park hit 10 in its final matchup against Hueytown with Jacob Tobias, Spencer and Battersby hitting multiple times for the Jaguars. Tobias and Spencer both had three hits.

The Jaguars take on the Spanish Fort Toros on Friday, Feb. 24.