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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

HOOVER – The Oak Mountain Eagles got a big momentum boost ahead of the final week of the season as they went 3-1 over the weekend at the Hoover Met Complex in the Hoover Classic.

Oak Mountain came out victorious in its first three games of the tournament, including a 3-1 win over the Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa Patriots and 2-1 victory over the Hoover Buccaneers on Friday, April 19 before downing the Hazel Green Trojans 4-2 on Saturday, April 20.

In the first game of the weekend against Hillcrest, Oak Mountain used a one-out double by Emma Hawkins in the bottom of the first to get on the scoreboard after Anna DuBose drove her home with an RBI single.

That 1-0 lead quickly grew in the top of the second after singles from Carolyn Graham, Maggie Miller and Jenna Burson loaded up the bases with one out.

A bases-loaded walk made the lead two, and Hawkins followed that with a run off a ground-out to make the lead 3-0.

From there, Kelsey Crain continued her dominant start to earn six strikeouts in six innings, allowing just five hits and one walk in the process.

Hillcrest’s lone run came off a one-out RBI single that followed a Patriots triple in the top of the sixth, but the Eagles secured the final two outs from there to earn the 3-1 victory and give Crain the win.

Oak Mountain’s pitching remained strong in the second game against Hoover as Sophia Williams went for 5.1 innings against the Bucs and surrendered just one run and four hits without allowing a walk.

The only Hoover offense came from a second-inning RBI groundout which gave the Bucs an early 1-0 lead.

However, the Eagles held Hoover scoreless from there and scored a pair of runs to take the lead.

After a walk and a Hawkins single to start the fifth, Sheridan Andrews came home off an error to tie the game and DuBose then gave Oak Mountain the lead with a sacrifice fly.

The Eagles then saw out the 2-1 win after Crain came in for the final two of the game to earn the save.

The next day, Oak Mountain kept its winning ways going with a victory over Hazel Green.

Alea Rye started off the scoring with a two-out RBI single in the top of the first to open up a 1-0 lead.

The Trojans equalized in the bottom of the first after a bunt single turned into a run off a stolen base and an error during the ensuing at-bat.

However, Oak Mountain got its own chance to capitalize off an error in the top of the third and scored to go up 2-1.

Hazel Green responded in the bottom half of the frame after a lead-off single gave way to an RBI double, tying up the game at 2-2.

The fourth inning came and went without a run, but a Bella Williams lead-off single and Andrews double in the top of the fifth set up the Eagles to retake the lead.

A passed ball gave Oak Mountain a 1-0 lead, and after a walk during that at-bat put runners on the corners, a DuBose ground out scored another run and sealed the 4-2 win in five innings.

Madeline Prevallet earned the win with three shutout innings of relief where she allowed just three hits and two walks.

The Eagles ended the tournament with a 7-4 loss to Bob Jones after a 4-2 lead in the fifth inning was erased by a five-run sixth inning for the Patriots.

Oak Mountain now sits at 21-16-1 and will finish out the regular season with two games in two days, first against Pike Road on Monday, April 22 and then against Vincent on Tuesday, April 23. Both games will take place at Oak Mountain High School and get underway at 5 p.m.