Story By Jason Bowen

As soon as the baseball left Hunter Hancock’s bat, Scottsboro head coach Cade Medley immediately raised his arms in celebration.

It was a no-doubt three-run home run during a comeback win in which Scottsboro left no doubt.

“That was a shot,” Medley said. “What a great moment.”

The visiting Wildcats scored a combined 15 runs in the final three innings, erasing a four-run deficit to rally for a 17-6 series-deciding Game 3 win Saturday to defeat No. 7-ranked Boaz in a Class 5A first-round playoff series at BHS.

“Nobody gave us a chance coming into this series,” Medley said. “Our kids just kept competing, never gave up. All 23 kids in that dugout where pulling in the right direction. These kids compete their tails off. Can’t say enough about what these kids are made of.”

After the teams split the first two games of the series on Friday — Scottsboro took the series opener 2-1 before Boaz won the second game 8-0 to force Saturday’s Game 3 — the Wildcats found themselves trailing 6-2 entering the fifth inning. Scottsboro cut the Pirates’ lead to 6-5 in the fifth before scoring six runs in both the sixth and seventh innings.

“Huge moment for our ball club,” Hancock said. “We’ve just got to keep it going.”

The series win advanced Scottsboro (13-15) to the second round of the AHSAA playoffs for the first time since 2016. 

The Wildcats host Jacksonville (18-17) in a second-round best-of-three series starting with a doubleheader Friday at 4:30 p.m. If needed, Game 3 would be played Saturday at noon at SHS. Jacksonville defeated John Carroll Catholic two games to one to win its opening-round series.

The Scottsboro-Jacksonville series winner plays either No. 2 American Christian Academy or No. 8 Russellville in the Class 5A Quarterfinals. If it advances, Scottsboro would travel for a quarterfinal-round series regardless of the opponent.

Scottsboro took an early 2-0 lead in Game 3 on Hancock’s two-run homer to center field, but Boaz (23-10) scored three runs in the bottom of the second, one in the third and two in the fourth to take a 6-2 lead. 

But the Wildcats cut the deficit to one when Vaden scored on a pitch in the dirt, Cohen Thompson scored on a Boaz throwing error and Jackson Kern, running for pitcher JC Heikkinen, scored on Jackson Nichols’ RBI single.

Nick McKenzie walked and Vaden singled to start the sixth for Scottsboro, and after Thompson’s sacrifice bunt moved both into scoring position, McKenzie scored the tying run on Calhoun signee Trent Wilson’s RBI single. Hancock then followed with a three-run homer to left-center field to put the Wildcats on top 9-6, and they never looked back from there.

“It felt great for sure,” said Hancock, who pitched a complete-game in Scottsboro’s Game 1 win. “I’m just glad I could help our team score some runs and win the game.”

Three consecutive walks loaded the bases for Scottsboro after Hancock’s go-ahead home run, and Cade Hastings’ RBI single and McKenzie’s RBI sacrifice fly pushed the Scottsboro lead to 11-6. After Heikkinen pitched his second consecutive scoreless inning in the bottom of the sixth, the Wildcats put the game away in a top of the seventh highlighted by Heikkinen’s RBI single, Nichols’ two-run single, an RBI walk from McKenzie and Vaden’s two-run single.

Over the final three innings, Scottsboro recorded nine hits, nine walks and three batters hit-by pitch. 

“The guys did a great job just competing in the (batter’s) box,” Medley said. “It’s always a good day when you score 17 runs.”

Hancock closed 2-for-5 with five RBIs and Nichols had two hits, two walks and three RBIs for the Wildcats while Vaden had two hits, a walk and two RBIs. Scottsboro also got one hit, two walks and one RBI from Heikkinen, one hit, one walk and one RBI from Wilson, one hit and one RBI from Hastings, two walks and two RBIs from McKenzie and four walks from John Will Potterfield.

Heikkinen pitched four innings in relief and got the win, allowing just two runs on four hits while posting one strikeout.

“JC, he’s been a staple out of our bullpen all year,” Medley said. “He’s a senior and we knew he going to fall on his shield for us.”

GAME 1

Scottsboro 2, Boaz 1 — Vaden doubled with one-out in the top of the seventh inning to plate Potterfield (single) with the go-ahead in the Wildcats’ series-opening win.

Scottsboro fell behind 1-0 in the second inning before tying the game in the fourth on Jake Hastings’ RBI single. 

Potterfield finished 2-for-3 for the Wildcats while Vaden, Thompson, Hancock, Heikkinen and Hastings had one hit each.

Hancock got the win on the mound, allowing one run on seven hits and no walks while recording four strikeouts over seven innings.

GAME 2

Boaz 8, Scottsboro 0 — The Wildcats managed just two hits against Boaz ace Tyler Pierce, who recorded 11 strikeouts during a complete-game win.

Wilson and Nichols both singled for Scottsboro while Thompson walked and stole two bases.