GDW baseball, softball performers week of April 14:
Baseball:
Rylan McRae of Vinemont.
McRae placed himself in a huge role for Vinemont to move into the 2nd round of the AHSAA 3A playoffs.
Last Thursday, McRae was called upon in a relief pitching role.
With 2 outs in the last of the 7th in Game 2 vs. Randolph County, McRae entered the game and would save a 15 to 12 Vinemont victory.
Randolph County had scored 3 runs in the inning and had the bases loaded.
McRae threw one pitch which resulted in a fly ball to right field and Vinemont avoided being upset by a ball club that had just 6 wins overall as a playoff qualifier.
In the decisive 3rd game April 18, McRae let his bat do the production in a 19 to 2 romp.
McRae was four for four with a grand slam early in the game. He finished with 4 runs batted in, getting at least one RBI every time he made contact with the ball.
McRae was the winning pitcher in the finale, with the game well in hand to end by the run rule.
McRae is a senior with Vinemont having a solid year, posting 24 wins against 9 losses and on to the Round of 16 in Class 3A play.
Softball:
Josi Jones of Hanceville:
Jones was part of a tremendous comeback for Hanceville on April 18 in a 3A, Area 12 battle at Vinemont.
Jones collected three hits in five at bats.
Her time at the plate in the 6th was valuable with Hanceville scoring 14 runs to overcome a 7 to 3 deficit, enroute to a 17 to 7 victory.
Jones singled and scored a run. Later in the inning, she doubled in the gap as 2 more runs dashed home.
Hanceville had 14 runs on 11 hits in the 6th with 19 plate appearances. This was the best single inning for the Lady Bulldogs in 2025.
Hanceville kept Vinemont from finishing the area tied for 1st with Locust Fork.
The Lady Bulldogs wrapped up the area schedule with a 3 game winning streak. Hanceville is 3rd for the Area 12 tournament that will start this weekend in Locust Fork.
Jones was the winning pitcher, coming in the 5th and stopping a Vinemont threat.
She would pitch 2 innings, allow 0 runs on 1 hit with 4 strikeouts.
Photo of Vinemont's Rylan McRae swinging the bat in a game at West Morgan March 28.
Photo courtesy of Mystic Lotus Creations, LLC.
