Hornets Bring the Sting: Cottondale Sweeps, Punches Ticket to Regionals

By: Shelia Mader

Cottondale left little doubt Saturday, sweeping Sneads in a best-of-three series to advance to the regional round, winning 4-3 in game one before pulling away for a 6-1 victory in game two on their home field. The Hornets, who also edged the Pirates 4-3 for the district title on April 17, showed both consistency and depth against their Jackson County rival.

In the opener, Cottondale used timely hitting and steady pitching to hold off Sneads for another one-run win. Trace Pelfrey earned the victory after striking out seven over 4.2 innings, while Lane Johnson closed the door with 2.1 innings of scoreless relief. At the plate, Conner Barton led the way with two hits and an RBI, and Pelfrey helped his own cause with a two-RBI effort. Sneads stayed within striking distance behind a two-hit, two-RBI performance from Creed Whitworth and a three-run, multi-hit outing from Hoke Harkrider, but left eight runners on base in the loss.

Game two quickly turned into a showcase for Cottondale’s offense and pitching depth. After a tight start, the Hornets broke the game open with a five-run sixth inning, finishing with 10 hits in the 6-1 win. Jaydon Gray paced the attack with three hits, while Dakota Byrd delivered a key two-RBI performance and Alex Bellamy added an RBI. Johnson dominated on the mound, allowing just two hits over 6.1 scoreless innings with four strikeouts before Conner Barton finished the game. Sneads managed only three hits, with Kinsey Ragans accounting for the lone RBI.

Cottondale’s lineup produced up and down the order throughout the series, backed by strong pitching performances from Pelfrey and Johnson, as the Hornets improved their postseason form against a familiar opponent. Sneads showed flashes, particularly from Harkrider and Whitworth, but could not match Cottondale’s depth across two games.

The sweep sends a balanced Cottondale squad, coached by Skylar Davis, on to the next round, with contributions coming up and down the lineup from players like Barton, Johnson, Gray, Pelfrey and Bellamy. Sneads, led by contributors such as Hoke Harkrider and Creed Whitworth, battled throughout but couldn’t overcome Cottondale’s depth across the two games.