The Maplesville Varsity Devils battled through a competitive three game stretch against the Florala Varsity Wildcats, showcasing strong pitching performances and timely hitting to secure a series win and advance to Round 3 of the playoffs.
Maplesville opened the series on Saturday with a 5-2 victory, powered by an impressive day at the plate from Pearce Yergan. Yergan went 3 for 4, collecting singles in the first, second, and seventh innings to lead the Devils offensively. JT Johnson delivered a dominant performance on the mound, striking out 10 batters while allowing just five hits and two runs over seven innings.
Florala struck first in the opening inning, but Maplesville quickly responded. Yergan’s RBI single in the second gave the Devils a 2-1 lead. After Florala tied the game in the third, Maplesville regained control in the fifth when Braden Atcheson grounded out to bring in the go-ahead run. The Devils added insurance and held on for the win, playing clean defense with no errors and turning a double play. Eli Hubbert also contributed multiple hits, while Luke Gray anchored the defense with 10 chances in the field.
In Game 2, Florala evened the series with a 5-1 win despite being out hit by Maplesville. Eli Hubbert led the Devils at the plate with two hits and also struck out 11 batters in a strong pitching effort, though he allowed four runs over six innings.
Florala capitalized early, scoring twice in the first inning and adding another run in the third to build a 3-0 lead. Noah Bryan was sharp on the mound for the Wildcats, allowing just three hits and one unearned run over seven innings while striking out 11. Maplesville struggled to convert opportunities, while Florala showed patience at the plate, drawing six walks to help secure the win.
The Devils bounced back in dominant fashion in Game 3 on Monday, cruising to a 10-0 shutout victory behind a stellar outing from Jake Carlee. Carlee silenced the Wildcats’ offense, allowing no runs in a complete-game performance.
Maplesville broke the game open with a six run third inning. Aiden Abbott’s sacrifice bunt started the rally, followed by a two run single from Atcheson. Carlee and Luke Gray each drew bases loaded walks, and an error added another run to cap the inning.
The Devils totaled nine hits in the game, with Atcheson, Gray, and Hubbert each collecting two. Gray drove in three runs from the bottom of the lineup to lead the offense. Florala managed just a handful of hits and couldn’t generate any momentum against Carlee’s dominant pitching.
With the series win, Maplesville demonstrated resilience and depth, using a combination of strong pitching, disciplined defense, and timely hitting to outlast Florala and punch their ticket to Round 3 of the playoffs.
