Glenwood wins 21st state baseball championship with sweep of Autauga

Carson Hicks and Daniel Holley both threw complete games as Glenwood swept Autauga Academy, 9-3 and 9-2, to take the AISA Class 3A state championship Wednesday at Paterson Field.

The title is Glenwood’s 21st baseball championship.

“I am happy for all these players because I rode them hard this year because of high expectations,” Glenwood coach Tim Fanning said after the trophy presentations. “To end with a state championship was fitting and deserved.”

“Our team has been nationally ranked and we set a new record for team wins this year (46),” Fanning said.

Hicks, who pitched the first game, was named the tournament MVP. Playing first in the second game, Hicks had two hits and two RBIs.

Hicks was joined on the all-tournament team by Tyler Cadenhead, Tyler Smith and Holley.

“The heat was starting to get to me a little at the end, but I had a big lead and threw strikes and knew I had the defense to back it up,” said Hicks, who finished with nine strikeouts.

“This is great to be a part of this. I felt in that last inning I could go about seven more,” said Holley after the final out, his eighth strikeout.

Autauga took a 2-0 lead in the second game. Glenwood was able to break through in the fifth inning with four runs.

Starting that rally was Tyler Smith, who opened the fifth with a single, the first hit off the Generals starter Tyler Dutton. Cadenhead had a two-RBI double in the fifth.

Cadenhead then came home on Hicks’ single to cap the four-run outburst.

“I listened to Coach (Josh) McConnell and tried to be patient at the plate until I could get a pitch and also said a little prayer as well. It felt great,” Cadenhead said.

The Gators tacked on five in the sixth and Cadenhead got his third RBI of the game with a bases-loaded walk. Alex Baker came in to pinch hit and knocked in two runs.

In the first game, Glenwood jumped out to a 9-0 lead, scoring in each of the first three innings against starter Noah Mills and reliever Tre Turner, who failed to retire a batter in a six-run third.

Smith had a two-run single in that third as the first eight Gators reached base.

This story was originally published May 11, 2016 at 6:06 PM with the headline "Glenwood wins 21st state baseball championship with sweep of Autauga."