Santos pitches shutout to lead Panthers past Hoover

Santos pitches shutout to lead Panthers past Hoover

Matt Conde

Sports Editor

PELHAM — Pelham High School baseball coach Jeff Mauldin used an appropriate phrase to describe senior Trae Santos' performance against Hoover in a Class 6A, Area 10 game April 2.

Santos played “lights-out" according to Mauldin, which helped the Panthers keep the Bucs off the scoreboard in a 10-0 five-inning shut out.

Santos (7-0) started on the mound and pitched five innings without allowing a run on two hits with seven strikeouts and one walk.

Santos had plenty of support at the plate.

The Panthers (27-2), 6-0 in Class 6A, Area 10) got on the board first and were challenged until the fourth inning, when they exploded with nine runs. The game was then called after the fifth due to Pelham’s 10-0 lead.

Michael Bishop slammed a home run and finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Hunter Ragsdale was 1-for-2, drove in two runs and scored twice. Trae Santos, Andrew Bishop, Tripp Martin, Jake Williams, and Reed Bright also scored a run.

“We played one of our better games of the year,” Mauldin said. "We played great defense and swung the bat the best I’ve seen us swing all year. Our players and coaches respect the teams we play and Hoover is a good team, they just didn’t play their best and we played close to our best.”

The Panthers are one win away from claiming the Class 6A, Area 10 title outright after missing the Class 6A playoffs a year ago. Recently the Panthers moved up to No. 19 in the Easton Sports NationalHigh School Poll.

For More Information, please visit www.ShelbyCountyReporter.com.