With a two-game sweep of Wallace-Selma at home on Sunday, the LBW Saints’ baseball team clinched first place in the ACCC South Division.

 

The Saints knew what was stake heading into Sunday’s home doubleheader against Wallace-Selma, with just one win the Saints could clinch first place in the division. The Saints left no doubt where they stood in the standings with a sweep of Wallace State, 4-1 and 8-1.

 

In the game one of the series, Houston Maybray picked up the win for the Saints going five innings only giving up two hits and one run. Maybray only struck out one batter.

 

Three Saints led the way at the plate as Darius Baldwin and Tyler Johnson both went 1-for-3 with one RBI. Michael Mims went 1-for-2 with a RBI.

 

Brandon Cobb, Blake Grill and Matthew Harvey each picked up a hit for the Saints. Michael Tedford, Baldwin, Johnson and Cobb scored one run each to help guide the Saints to the win.

 

In game two, Jed Carter pitched the first three innings of the game, striking out four batters, and only allowing one hit.

 

Russell Moseley, Josh Flowers, Dakota King and Justin Sherzinger each pitched one inning of relief, and combined to hold Wallace-Selma to just five hits and one run.

 

Baldwin continued to swing the bat well in the second game, and drove in two runs on two hits including a double. Baldwin also scored one run.

 

After going 0-for-4 in game one, Charlie Spencer’s bat came to life as he went 2-for-3 with one RBI. Spencer also drew a walk and scored a run.

 

Brandon Smith drove in one run off one hit in three at-bats, and also scored a run.

 

Tedford went 0-for-2, but drove in a RBI on sacrifice fly.

 

Zack Ward made the most of only plate appearance going 1-for-1 with a RBI.

 

“I thought we pitched real well,” Saints’ head coach Steve Helms said. “Offensively, we played well enough to win. The kids did a great job. I’m proud of the way they have played all year.”

 

With the sweep, the Saints secured the No. 1 seed for the South Division in the upcoming Region 22 tournament. The winner will advance to the World Series in Colorado.

 

“This well be a evenly matched tournament,” Helms said of the Region 22 tournament. “I believe any of these teams could win in it. We will just have to go out, and give it all we have and let the chips fall where they may. Which ever team gets the little breaks, bounces and calls to go their way will be the team that wins.”

 

The tournament will be held May 8-13 at Eagle Stadium in Ozark.

 

The Saints will get a bye in round one, and will play the winner between Southern Union and Wallace-Selma on Saturday, at 7:30 p.m.

 

Shelton State is the No. 1 seed from the North Division with Marion Military at No. 2, Lawson State No. 3, Southern Union No. 4 and Wallace-Hanceville No. 5.

 

The rest of the South Division will be Chattahoochee Valley at No. 2, Faulkner State No. 3, Wallace-Dothan No.4 and Wallace-Selma No. 5.

 

The Saints finished the regular season with an overall record of 36-15 and finished 24-8 in conference play.

 

Spencer finished the regular season as the Saints’ leader in nearly every offensive category.  Spencer led the Saints with a .374 batting average, .477 on-base-percentage, .516 slugging percentage five home runs, 39 RBIs, 58 hits, seven doubles. Spencer was second in runs scored with 31, which was three shy of Tedford’s team-high 34.

 

The speedster Baldwin led the team with 17 stolen bases and two triples.

 

On the mound, Kade Suther has been the Saints’ workhorse racking up 71.1 innings pitched with a record of 8-0. Suther led the Saints with an ERA of only 2.14 and 47 strikeouts.

 

Josh Dewrell appeared in 17 games for the Saints, mainly has a closer, but also got five starts during the season picking up three win, and a team-high seven saves. Dewrell struck out 34 batters in 47 innings of work.

 

Jed Carter was also a force on the mound for the Saints, finishing with a 7-1 record in 18 appearances including seven starts. Carter struck out 43 batters in 47.2 innings of work, and finished with an ERA of 3.21.

 

“I’m proud of the effort these kids have put in all season to win our league,” Helms said. “It’s an honor for our kids, and I’m so proud of them. Hopefully, our effort will carry over to the tournament and create those bounces for things to go our way.”