Spring is in the air, but it hasn’t helped Warren Central’s fortunes to bloom on the baseball field.

Hartfield Academy scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, on a wild pitch and a two-out error, to hand Warren Central a stunning 6-5 loss on Monday.

It was Warren Central’s fourth loss in a row, and third this season by one run.

The Vikings (2-6) took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on a two-run double by Trace Hood and an RBI single by Blake Caruthers.

Hartfield scored three times in the fifth inning to tie it, and then Warren Central regained the lead in the sixth when Caden Cole scored on a wild pitch. Landon Hasty also scored on a wild pitch in the seventh inning to make it 5-3.

Hartfield used an error, a walk and a single to load the bases in the seventh, however, and all three runners eventually scored. The last two came in on the two-out error to give the Hawks a walk-off win.

Tristan Jamison and Lester Martin had two hits apiece for Warren Central, while Cole singled, walked and scored a run. Nathaniel Moore had five strikeouts in five innings pitched.

Warren Central committed three errors. Only one of Hartfield’s six runs was earned.

Warren Central will continue a difficult early-season schedule with a pair of road games later this week. It will go to No. 4 Madison Central at 7 p.m. Thursday, and then to No. 1 Brandon — the defending MHSAA Class 7A champion — Saturday at 1 p.m.

East Rankin 8, St. Aloysius 7
Aiden Carlisle scored the winning run on a double steal in the bottom of the seventh inning to push East Rankin Academy past St. Aloysius (4-5) in a back-and-forth game Monday.

St. Al trailed 4-0 and 6-3 before scoring three runs in the fourth inning to tie it 6-6, and then another in the top of the sixth inning to tie it again at 7-7.

Carson Smith hit an RBI single to spur the fourth-inning rally, and he scored on Laken Bradley’s single in the sixth. Smith finished 1-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored.

In the bottom of the seventh, Carlisle drew a one-out walk, stole second base and went to third when the throw went into center field. Weston Floyd was intentionally walked, and he also stole second. Carlisle came home with the winning run as the throw went to second base.

East Rankin only scored two earned runs in the game. St. Al’s pitchers walked eight batters, hit three more, and the fielders committed five errors.

The Flashes will play at Tallulah Academy on Friday. The junior varsity will play at 4 p.m. and the varsity at 6.

Briarfield 11, Tallulah Academy 5
Jackson Thornton doubled in two runs and Brock Johnson singled in another during a six-run fifth inning the propelled Briarfield Academy (3-4) past Tallulah Academy (4-3) on Monday.

The fifth-inning rally turned a 4-2 lead into an 11-2 advantage for the Rebels. Eight consecutive batters reached base, including five via walks.

Thornton finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored, Brody Benton was 2-for-3 with three RBIs, and Zach Lovell had two hits and two RBIs.

Briarfield pitcher Davis Holt had nine strikeouts in five innings of work.

Tallulah Academy’s J.T. Mcdaniel was 2-for-4 with a solo home run and two runs scored. Denton Ray doubled and scored a run, and Aiden Harris reached base three times and scored once.

Tallulah will host St. Aloysius on Friday, with the junior varsity game at 4 p.m. and the varsity at 6.