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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

NORTH SHELBY – Just a few weeks removed from leading the Oak Mountain basketball team to the Sweet 16, Matthew Heiberger has traded in the basketball shoes for a pair of cleats, and on Friday, March 24, he was back up to his old tricks.

The senior pitcher took to the mound for the Eagles in a matchup against No. 1 Thompson and was flawless in leading his team to a 2-0 upset victory.

Out of the 24 batters he faced in the game, Heiberger allowed two hits and one walk, while he struck out 11 of them in a complete-game shutout effort to pick up the win.

His effort was big in the victory, as neither offense was able to find much of a rhythm in a game that featured a combined six hits.

The Eagles, however, gave their star pitcher an early lead to work with, which only built his confidence on the mound.

After a scoreless opening inning, Oak Mountain came to the plate in the bottom of the second and put two runners aboard on an error and a single from Kevin Jasinski.

An out was recorded shortly after to put two down in the inning, but Boyd Dela Vega then stepped up with a clutch at bat.

On the first pitch he saw, he drove a fly ball to center field that got down for what became a two-RBI double and ultimately the game-winning hit in the second inning.

Thompson only had one base runner reach safely the rest of the way, as Heiberger put together four 1-2-3 innings out of the five remaining innings, while he struck out the side in the final two innings to complete a stellar showing.

At the plate, Dela Vega led the way with that lone hit and two RBIs, while Heiberger picked up a hit and walk. Peyton Parkinson and Jasinski both added one hit as well.

Thompson pitcher Ashton Blair had a strong showing as well outside of that one double given up. He struck out five and allowed four hits and two walks with those two unearned runs given up due to the error and walk.

At the plate, Ethan Crook and Miles Mitchell picked up the two hits for the Warriors.