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By LAUREN SEXTON | Sports Reporter

MOUNTAIN BROOK – The 2023 baseball season is underway for the Chelsea Hornets, and they kicked it off with a blowout win against Mountain Brook on Friday, Feb. 17, however, fell short to county foe Thompson and Hartselle the following Saturday giving the Hornets a 1-2 start to the fresh season.

Chelsea took down Mountain Brook 9-1 to open the season on Friday afternoon, scoring four runs in the top of the first and another in the top of the second to take early command.

Chelsea led 5-1 up until the top of the fourth inning when the Hornets scored three more runs for an 8-0 lead. Mountain Brook remained scoreless until the bottom of the sixth, but Chelsea responded with one last run in the top of the seventh en route to the 9-1 victory.

The Hornets scored three runs after Bryson Mormon scored a home run in the first inning, while Kaleb Hest and Chris McNeil both went deep in the game as well.

Kaden Heatherly pitched for the and allowed no runs on one hit with five strikeouts in four innings,while Reed Hartselle followed Heatherly.

Thompson gave Chelsea a run for its money in a matchup the following day. The game was tied 2-2, but Chelsea broke the tie in the third inning by taking a 3-2 lead. 

Thompson, however, responded with four runs in the bottom of the seventh for the walk-off victory.

Brandon Ridderhoff took the mound for the Hornets and surrender four runs on two hits over two innings while striking out three.

Mormon continued to be an asset for the Hornets in their game against the Warriors following his success against Mountain Brook. This time, it was from the mound, as he went four innings with two runs on six hits, striking out three and walking one.

McNeil, Jackson Morgan and Cade Mims all had one hit while Chelsea held the lead.

Despite Chelsea’s best efforts, the Hornets fell to the Hartselle Tigers in an 8-0 game to close the opening weekend.

The game remained scoreless until the top of the fourth when Hartselle scored four runs. Pitcher Steven Shelton went three and two-thirds innings allowing four runs on five hits and striking out five.