Corner sophomore Daniel Knowlton stands in the batter's box during a recent game at Pinson Valley.

The Corner baseball team (21-15) split a doubleheader at No. 4 Southside-Gadsden (21-13) Saturday in Class 5A North Sub-State play. The best-of-three playoff series will resume Monday at 5 p.m. in Gadsden.

Game 1: Southside-Gadsden 5, Corner 4

A walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th doomed Corner in the series opener. The game went into extra innings tied at 4-4 and Tyler Roberts’ game-winning hit bounced into left field three innings later to give Gadsden a 5-4 home win.

Yellow Jacket junior Brayden Rowe struck out seven and walked four while allowing four runs in seven-plus innings pitched. He left the remaining five outs to senior Isaiah McCracken, who struck out two.

On the road in a series which was pushed back 24 hours because of poor weather conditions, Corner jumped out to a 4-0 lead with single runs in the second and third and another two in the fourth. The Panthers evened the score at 4-4 in the bottom of the fifth.

That score held until the final swing of the 10th.

For Corner, Tyler McNiese and Garrett Purvis led the way with two hits apiece. Nolan Berger connected with the Yellow Jackets’ only RBI of the game.

Game 2: Corner 2, Southside-Gadsden 0

Corner junior Tanner Hayes tossed a complete-game, one-hit shutout to extend the Yellow Jackets’ season by at least two days. Hayes struck out nine, walked two and held the No. 4-ranked team in the state to its only scoreless loss of the 2019 season.

McNiese led Corner with two hits, including an RBI single to left field in the bottom of the fifth. That swing scored Chandler Brakefield and extended the Yellow Jackets’ lead to 2-0.

McNiese also led off the first frame with a two-bagger and later scored on an error for a 1-0 advantage. Purvis, McCracken and Cole Fuller each singled for Corner on Saturday night in a must-win situation. 

In other news, the Fultondale baseball team (5-15) ended its season on Saturday in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs. Third-ranked Gordo swept the Wildcats 14-4 and 16-2, advancing into the second round opposite No. 7 Bayside Academy.