Longtime assistant Isaac Williams congratulates THS head coach John Goodman after Saturday's win. Photos by Natalie Milner

Baseball team advances

By Michael Butler

It had been six years since Tallassee last won a game or a series in the state baseball playoffs. The dry spell is over.

The Tigers, making their first post-season appearance since 2018, beat Valley in the best-of-three series to advance to the second round. They will host St. Paul's on Friday.

"That was sweet," said John Goodman in his first year back at the helm and 17th overall as head coach at THS.

Tallassee (12-13) won at Valley (14-10) in the decisive game three 15-9 after jumping out to a 13-0 cushion. After a seven-run fifth-inning Rams rally to avoid the mercy rule, the game ended in the seventh on a double play.

"What about that double play there," Goodman exclaimed. "It looked picture perfect."

Tallassee lost a 1-0 pitcher's dual with Auburn commit Jackson Sanders facing the Tigers' Jackson Rhodes in game one. They bounced back with a 5-3 victory behind the arm of Brady Mason in game two to force Saturday's rubber match. Brue Milner drove in five runs with a 2-for-4 day at the plate.

There were fireworks on the field and off. A collision after a rundown between first and second spread to the stands with play being halted while fans were separated. A few folks were asked to leave the historic Crestview Park grandstand bleachers.

Tallassee had 13 hits on Saturday afternoon. Mason, Chase Chumley, Cade Everson and Thomas Lemmond joined Milner with a pair each. Brody Goodman allowed two runs in three innings on the mound.

On Friday, Mason Stewart had two total hits in the doubleheader of games. Everson also had two hits in the twinbill of action.

Valley got the only run in the opener in the bottom of the sixth breaking the scoreless tie. Rhodes scattered five hits striking out five and walking three over six innings. Sanders threw a complete-game two-hitter with 13 strikeouts and no walks.

In the nightcap, the Tigers grabbed the early 2-0 lead in the second after an RBI groundout off the bat of Lemmond and a Valley error. The Rams went ahead 3-2 in the fourth but Tallassee answered on a fielder's choice RBI by Milner to tie it. A couple more Valley errors led to two more runs in the fifth for a 5-3 Tallassee lead. Mason retired 10 of the last 13 Valley batters. He pitched seven innings giving up three earned runs with five strikeouts and one walk.

"The biggest thing is we're in the second round and at home," Goodman said. "It should be a great atmosphere. I hope everybody comes out and gets behind these kids. They're leaving everything on the field. It's back to Tallassee baseball. Tallassee baseball's back. Let's keep it rolling."

Schedule/Results

All-Time Playoff Results
1979 (3A) - Thompson (1st) L 8-5
1980 (3A) - Thompson (1st) L 3-2
1985 (4A) - Lanett (1st) W 7-5; Hillcrest (Quarters) W 7-3; Pike County (Semis) W 7-1, L 12-1, W 7-6; Wilson (Finals) L 16-11, L 7-3
*1986 (4A) - Handley (1st) W 16-1; Hillcrest (Quarters) W 7-3; Pike County (Semis) L 13-12, W 11-5, W 20-9; Pleasant Grove (Finals) W 6-5, 7-2
*1987 (4A) - Dallas County (1st) W 8-5;  Haleyville (Quarters) W 8-0, Abbeville (Semis) W 10-8, W 11-1; Litchfield (Finals) L 9-6, W 11-10, W 14-6
1988 (4A) - Dallas County (1st) W 11-1; Haleyville (Quarters) L 2-1
*1989 (4A) - Jemison (1st) W 12-5; UMS-Wright (2nd) W 6-1, Abbeville (Quarters) W 9-2, Pike County (Semis) W 9-4, 2-0; East Lawrence (Finals) L 13-12, W 4-0, W 4-3
*1990 (4A) - Jemison (1st) W 10-0; UMS -Wright (2nd) W 3-1; Headland (Quarters) W 12-2; Pleasant Grove (Semis) W 2-0, W 2-1; New Hope (Finals) W 8-3, W 9-2
*1991 (4A) - Beauregard (1st) W 9-0, Thomasville (2nd) W 5-1; Daleville (Quarters) W 5-0; Daphne (Semis) W 4-1, W 3-2; Pleasant Grove (Finals) L 4-2, W 3-1, W 7-5
1992 (4A) - Beauregard (1st) W 10-0; Thomasville (2nd) W 8-6, Geneva (Quarters) W 11-0; Daphne (Semis) W 6-1, L 7-1, L 6-4
1993 (4A) - Central Coosa (1st) W 11-0, Grand Bay (2nd) W 5-4; Opp (Quarters) L 3-1
1994 (4A) - BB Comer (1st) W 10-0, Grand Bay (2nd) L 3-1
*1995 (4A) - Leeds (1st) W 11-1; Ashford (2nd) W 3-1; Grand Bay (Quarters) W 3-1; Thomasville (Semis) W 7-3, W 3-1; Jacksonville (Finals) W 5-1, W 4-1
1996 (4A) - Pike County (1st) W 12-2; Ashford (2nd) L 3-2
1997 (4A) - Pike County (1st) W 10-0; Grand Bay (2nd) L 5-4
*1998 (4A) - Ashford (1st) W 15-1; Grand Bay (2nd) W 8-5; Clarke County (Quarters) W 10-1; Thomasville (Semis) W 15-3, W 11-1; Pleasant Grove (Finals) W 2-0, W 11-1
1999 (4A) - Greensboro (1st) W 5-3; T.R. Miller (2nd) L 6-1
2000 (4A) - Dale County (1st) W 12-2; Greensboro (2nd) L 2-0
2003 (4A) - Demopolis (1st) W 4-2; Elmore County (2nd) L 5-4
2005 (4A) - Gulf Shores (1st) L 2-0
2006 (4A) - Demopolis (1st) W 8-4; UMS-Wright (2nd) W 8-0, W 4-2; Andalusia (Quarters) W 8-7, W 1-0; St. James (Semis) L 11-7, L 3-2
2007 (5A) - Eufaula (1st) W 3-0; Bibb County (2nd) L 2-1, L 10-0
2008 (5A) - Chelsea (1st) L 6-4, W 7-6, W 11-3; St. Paul’s (2nd) L 10-1, L 12-1
2009 (5A) - Demopolis (1st) W 3-2, W 7-0; Beauregard (2nd) W 10-9, L 15-3, L 18-15 (12)
2010 (5A) - Chilton County (1st) W 14-3, W 9-3; Beauregard (2nd) L 13-6, L 9-1
2011 (5A) - Rehobeth (1st) W 11-8, W 8-5; Russell County (2nd) L 5-1, L 8-3
2012 (5A) - Charles Henderson (1st) L 3-2, L 3-0
2015 (5A) - Rehobeth (1st) W 9-6, L 6-5, L 9-5
2016 (5A) - Charles Henderson (1st) L 5-4, L 4-3
2017 (4A) - Escambia County (1st) W 11-1, W 7-0; Trinity (2nd) W 5-3, W 7-3; UMS-Wright (Quarters) L 7-6, W 9-7, L 5-1
2018 (4A) - Munford (1st) L 4-0, L 9-4
2023 (5A) - Valley (1st) L 1-0, W 5-3, W 15-9