Trojans' Season Concludes in Semi-Finals

The Charles Henderson Trojans fell short in their best of three 5A semi-final series at Spanish Fort. CHHS earned a split on Friday night, dropping the first decision 6-5 before winning the nightcap 9-5, but was defeated 10-1 on Saturday.

In game one Mitch McLeod took just his third loss of the season despite striking out seven Toro hitters in only five innings of work. McLeod's RBI single in the fourth inning that scored Chance Shaver was the only Trojan run until the sixth inning. In the sixth, K.D. Edenfield led off with a double and two batters later Nathan Barron walked and was followed by a McLeod single. After a pop-up, Chase Connell delivered a two out grand slam to left-center field that brought the Trojans within one run. CHHS left runners in scoring position in the sixth and seventh and the game ended with a 6-5 score.

In game two Friday night the Trojans came out hot in the first inning. Edenfield drew a leadoff walk and scored on a triple by Nathan Barron. McLeod was the next hitter and was hit by a pitch, then Quay Lawson followed with a three run blast to centerfield. Connell followed Lawson with back-to-back homeruns, which was Connell's second of the day and third of the playoffs. Five of the first six CHHS batters scored. The Trojans would not strike again until the fourth when Barron doubled in Shaver. With a 6-5 lead going in to the sixth inning, Charles Henderson added three insurance runs. Michael Fox singled and stole second base. Shaver was hit by a pitch and McLeod drove them both in with a double. Quay Lawson drove in McLeod with a single and would steal second before being stranded there. Lawson finished 3-4 with four RBI and Barron was 2-4 with two RBI.

Harrison Reeves earned the win in game two working 4 2/3 innings and striking out five. Nathan Barron come on to get the final out of the fifth inning before giving way to Blake Hutchinson who worked the final two innings and did not give up any runs.

In the decisive game three on Saturday the Trojans could not get going offensively. CHHS' lone run came in the fourth inning when Shaver led off with a walk and was followed by a double by Barron. McLeod drove in Shaver from third on an RBI groundout to first base. Barron, McLeod, Connell, and Jalin Lawson each had hits for the Trojans. The Toros broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fourth inning with a grand slam that made the score 5-1. Spanish Fort followed with five runs in the fifth inning to push the score to 10-1.

The Trojans' season concludes with a record of 34-10. The 34 wins is the second most in school history. The team won the area three championship as well as the Terry Sikes Memorial Tournament championship and achieved the #1 ranking in the state in 5A for the first time in school history.