JaQuan Reeder’s throw helps Hackleburg down Leroy for Class 1A state baseball title

No. 6 Leroy was within a few feet of tying Game 2 of the Class 1A state championship baseball series in the sixth inning Thursday afternoon.

Hackleburg centerfielder JaQuan Reeder made sure it didn’t happen.

Reeder threw a laser to the plate on Andrew Mauldin’s single to centerfield, cutting down John Foster and preserving a 1-run Hackleburg lead. The second-ranked Panthers hung on for a 5-4 victory at Jacksonville State’s Jim Case Stadium, capturing the school’s second state baseball title.

“This is a program win,” coach Jon McKinney said. “For the past two years, we’ve come very close – not only in baseball – but football and basketball as well. I’m so proud and so happy these guys were able to go out the correct way. Their legacy is champions.”

Hackleburg (33-7) trailed 4-3 early in the game but tied it with a run in the third and took the lead for good on MVP Ross Hudson’s RBI single in the fourth. Hudson finished 3-for-4 with 2 RBIs and a run scored.

Leroy (28-13) had several chances to tie or take the lead, the last coming in the crucial sixth inning. Foster singled and went to second on a groundout, setting up Mauldin’s single.

“Andrew did a good job,” Leroy coach Matt Braun said. “He probably hit it too hard.”

Reeder came up throwing, hitting catcher Edge Weeks with a strike. Weeks tagged out a diving Foster to save the lead.

“Credit to Reeder,” Braun said. “He made a great throw. We had a chance to tie the game there, and I felt like we had to take it. We wanted to make Reeder make a great throw, and he did. It was a first-class throw.”

McKinney knew immediately that Reeder and Weeks may have saved the game.

“As soon as that play happened, I looked at my assistants, and we just said, ‘We may have just seen the play of the game,’” he said. “It was an unbelievable throw by JaQuan and a great job by Edge hanging onto the ball. Nothing shocks me with these guys. I thought off the bat, JaQuan might have a chance to get him. We’ve seen it before. I hate that we saw it for the last time.”

Maddox Vickery pitched the first six innings to get the win for Hackleburg. He allowed 8 hits and 4 runs. He struck out 2. Blaise Vickery struck out 2 of the final 3 batters for the save. Sawyer Sullivan took the loss for Leroy, allowing 5 runs on 8 hits in 6 innings. He struck out 6.

“I’m really excited for the community,” Weeks said. “They’ve been waiting for this for a long time, to put another title on the wall.”

Key statistics: Hackleburg – Jon Hasten Stidham was 1-for-3 with 2 RBIs. Weeks was 1-for-1 with 2 walks and 2 runs scored. Kross Weeks was 1-for-3 with 2 runs scored. Leroy – Brady Keith was 3-for-4 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Colt Glen was 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Did you know? Hackleburg’s softball and baseball teams were playing for state titles at the same time at two different locations. The Panther softball team lost to Kinston in the 1A finals at Oxford’s Choccolocco Park.

Did you know 2? Hackleburg walked one Leroy batter in Game 1 on Wednesday and no batters on Thursday.

“I have to give them a lot of credit,” Braun said. “All year, we got hit by a lot of pitches, drew a lot of walks. Every game, we tried to create plays with guys on base. We needed baserunners. Their guys did an outstanding job of not walking anyone. That takes us out of our game a little bit.”

They said it:

“This is Class 1A and you saw what the stands looked like. This community is extremely special. Our girls were playing softball at the same time. It’s just an amazing time. I’m so happy for our community. We’ve seen some heartbreak and some tragedy. To see this group end as champions … I’m so happy for them.” – McKinney.

“It doesn’t feel real. I don’t know what to say.” – Reeder.

“We’ve had some great teams at Leroy. This was the 6th time we were in the finals, and we’ve had some great teams that didn’t make it here. This team came further than any team we’ve ever had. I couldn’t be prouder. It’s a huge accomplishment for these guys to get here. We didn’t win our area. I think we had the toughest road to get here, and they answered every challenge.” – Braun.