Faith Academy ace Eli Driskell delivers a pitch Thursday during the Rams’ 4-2 victory in Saraland. The Auburn signee shut down the Spartans after a shaky first inning, allowing three hits and striking out 10 in the comeback. (John O’Dell/Call News)
Saraland ace Evan Hilliard took the loss against Faith Academy, allowing four runs on five hits in 4.1 innings. (John O’Dell/Call News)
By JIMMY WIGFIELD
SARALAND — Trey McDonald kept a bulging blister from popping open on Faith Academy Thursday evening and brought the Rams closer to popping the champagne on an area championship.
McDonald strode to the mound with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh inning and vacuumed up Saraland’s second and third hitters to save No. 6-ranked Faith’s 4-2 victory over the No. 3 Spartans before a packed and raucous crowd.
The Rams (17-5, 5-0 6A Area 1) need a win over Saraland (22-6, 3-2) Friday to virtually secure the area championship and home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The teams play a doubleheader at Faith beginning at 4 p.m.
If the Spartans lose the series, they will likely have to sweep Theodore to reach the playoffs.
“Winning the first game is big,” Rams coach Matt Seymour said. “They’re a really good team and they’re coached well. We’ve got to come out tomorrow and do the same thing.”
Faith fell behind 2-0 in the bottom of the first as Saraland peeled away the veneer of Auburn signee Eli Driskell (7-1), who responded by literally finding his footing on the Spartans’ carpeted mound and retiring 14 of 15 batters at one point.
“The first inning I had a hard time getting comfortable and I struggled to locate,” said Driskell, who allowed three hits in six innings while striking out 10, six of them swinging. “I was originally setting up in the middle (of the mound) and I seemed to be landing in a soft spot and my foot slipped a little. Then I moved over toward the third base side a little and I got more comfortable. I settled in and got into a groove and the team was there for me.”
Saraland coach Brett Boutwell was impressed with Driskell’s composure as much as he was by his fastball.
“I see why that kid is going to Auburn,” Boutwell said. “We put him in a tough high school environment and he handled it very well.”
After the first inning, Driskell threw first-pitch strikes to 11 of 19 batters. But he walked Jameson Curtis leading off the seventh and Fuller Chisholm singled, forcing Seymour to bring in left-handed reliever Brodie Barrentine.
“I wanted him to finish the game but he looked tired,” Seymour said of Driskell, who threw 106 pitches.
John Abston sacrificed the runners over and Santae McWilliams drew a walk on a full count to load the bases with one out.
McDonald came in and struck out Mike Smith, who was hitting .359, on a called third strike and Brooks Womble flew out to right field to end the game.
“We had a plan coming in with our relievers in that situation,” Seymour said. “Trey Mac came in and closed it out in a tough situation.”
Boutwell admired the grit of his players.
“Give our kids credit, they hung around,” Boutwell said. “We talk about the fifth, sixth and seventh innings being the business end of the game and our kids fought back in the seventh. We had the bases loaded with our two- and three-hole hitters up and I felt like we were going to tie it or walk it off.”
While Driskell was subduing the Spartans with his 90-mph fastball and a daunting slider — “It was really biting tonight,” he said — Faith scored three runs in the top of the fifth off Saraland ace Evan Hilliard (6-2).
Gavin Prewitt and Keith Caesar pulled two hard-hit balls to left field off Hilliard to give the Rams the 4-2 lead. Prewitt fouled off three pitches on a 2-2 count before doubling in two runs and Caesar followed with an RBI double, prompting Boutwell to pull Hilliard out after 78 pitches.
“I probably should have gone and got him the batter before but Evan’s been the guy and he always seems to find a way,” Boutwell said. “I’m proud of Evan. He’s been under the weather the last two weeks and he showed some guts tonight. We felt like he would be in that 65- to 70-pitch range.”
Seymour said his order tried to be patient against Hilliard, who gave up four runs on five hits and struck out six in 4.1 innings.
“We got some good swings on him,” Seymour said. “He’s been really good the past two years we’ve faced him. Our deal all year against anybody, not just against him, is not to overswing and try to move the ball.”
The Spartans led 2-0 in the first as McWilliams led off with a single and scored on Womble’s double. Womble moved around on a passed ball and scored on Driskell’s wild pitch.
Brayden Slay had two hits for the Rams, who stranded eight baserunners.
