The first pitches of the high school season have been thrown.

Three NJN-area baseball teams took the field on Monday, featured by Corner’s doubleheader sweep at Priceville. Tanner Hayes tossed a seven-inning shutout with 11 strikeouts to spur the Yellow Jackets to a 1-0 win, which was followed by an 8-1 victory in Game 2. 

In the nightcap, Alabama signee Brayden Rowe pitched the first 4 1/3 innings, recording nine strikeouts in the win. He also provided offensively with two hits to match Andrew Baker and Cole Burkett at the plate. Corner pushed three runs across in the fourth and five more in the seventh to secure the win. 

The Mortimer Jordan baseball team opened up 2020 with a 2-1 home loss to Oak Grove on Monday. Brody Harris got the start for head coach Shayne Carnes, allowing four hits and two earned runs in three innings of work. Austin Morris checked in for four scoreless innings.

Tripp Horton tripled and scored the Blue Devils’ only run. Logan Duffer matched Horton with two hits in the loss. 

Fultondale traveled to Cleveland on opening day, coming up short by a score of 8-3. Cleveland scored seven of those runs in the first two frames.

After the sloppy start, Fultondale settled in and went on to outhit the Panthers 12-5. Tyler Grayson went 3 for 3, while Michael Hall, Caleb Davis and Joe Hamaker each recorded multiple hits for the Wildcats.