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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor 

NORTH SHELBY – For the seventh game in a row, the Briarwood Lions scored at least 11 runs on Thursday, March 23 and picked up a win, but none were bigger than this one.

Taking on McAdory, the Lions picked up a 12-2 victory, giving up two or less for the fourth consecutive game, but more importantly, they finished area play 4-0 to claim the area championship and secure their spot in the 2023 playoffs.

Just two days after an 11-1 win over the Yellow Jackets in six innings, Briarwood decided to one up that performance by finishing this 10-run win off in five innings.

The Lions did fall behind 2-0 in the top of the first inning and trailed by that same margin going into the bottom of the second, then, they found a rhythm over the next two innings with a combined 12 runs.

In the bottom of the second, an error and three walks brought home the first run of the game before a hit batter evened the score at 2-2.

Then, a two-RBI double from Casen Heaps gave Briarwood its first lead of the game at 4-2. That was followed by a two-RBI single from Brady Waugh and an RBI double from William Clark to make it 7-2.

An inning later, they added the final five runs of the game in similar fashion.

It started with a hit batter and two walks to load the bases for Samuel Hoff. Hoff stepped up and drove home two with a single before Heaps then stepped back in the batter’s box and drove home another on a double to left field.

That was the first of two straight doubles as Waugh followed with a two-RBI double to make it 12-2.

The Lions had no outs at that point and ended up putting two more on base in the inning, but that ultimately became the final score.

Heaps finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs, while Waugh led the team with four RBIs on two hits. Hoff added three RBIs on one hit, while Clark added one hit and one RBI.

Drake Meeks went the distance in the victory on the mound, allowing two hits and two runs, while he struck out 10 of the 20 batters he faced.