04/12/2025
⚾️ Thorsby Rebels Capture Area Championship After Splitting Doubleheader with Hale County⚾️
The Thorsby Varsity Rebels clinched the Area Championship on Thursday after battling through a high-stakes doubleheader against Hale County, dropping the first game 6-5 in walk-off fashion before bouncing back with a 9-7 victory in the nightcap to secure the title.
⚾️ Game One: Rebels Fall in Walk-Off Loss
In the opening game of the series, Thorsby and Hale County went toe-to-toe for seven innings before the Wildcats walked it off in the bottom of the seventh on a single by Kolt Young that sealed a 6-5 win.
Hale County jumped out to an early lead, taking advantage of a Thorsby error and a bases-loaded walk in the first inning. A groundout by DJ Lewis brought in another run, giving the Wildcats a 3-0 edge.
The Rebels quickly answered in the second inning with a four-run surge. Chris Buendtner singled home a run, Braylon Carroll was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and Kaden Collins followed with a two-run single to give Thorsby a 4-3 lead.
The Wildcats regained the lead in the fifth on a single by Reed Hammond, but the Rebels kept fighting. JT Green delivered a clutch RBI single down the left field line in the top of the seventh to tie the game at five.
However, Hale County capitalized in the final frame. After putting runners on, Young's single brought in the winning run, handing the Rebels a tough loss despite outhitting the Wildcats 10-8.
Buendtner led the way at the plate for Thorsby, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Seeley started on the mound for the Rebels, striking out nine in six innings of work while allowing six runs, four of them earned.
⚾️ Game Two: Thorsby Secures Championship with Gritty Win
Needing a victory to clinch the area title, Thorsby delivered in Game Two, edging out Hale County 9-7 in a hard-fought contest that saw several lead changes.
Max Burnett paced the Rebels with a perfect 3-for-3 performance at the plate, including two doubles and a single. He was a key part of an offense that got rolling early and never let up.
Thorsby struck first in the top of the first inning when Aiden Seeley doubled in a run. Christian Davenport added another RBI with a double in the second. Burnett’s double in the third, followed by an error, helped the Rebels extend their lead to 5-1.
Hale County responded with a five-run outburst in the bottom of the fourth, capped by a three-run double from Huston Haney to take a 6-5 lead.
The Rebels tied it in the fifth on a passed ball, and Seeley once again came through with a go-ahead RBI double in the sixth. Hale County briefly tied it again on a solo home run by Dylan Carlisle in the bottom of the sixth, but Thorsby answered once more.
In the top of the seventh, Grayson McManus tripled to center field to break the tie. A passed ball allowed an insurance run to score, giving Thorsby a 9-7 lead they would hold the rest of the way.
Kaden Collins started for Thorsby and allowed four earned runs over 3.2 innings. The bullpen held off the Wildcats over the final stretch to preserve the win.
⚾️ Rebels Crowned Area Champions ⚾️
With the victory in Game Two, Thorsby earned the Area Championship, a testament to their resilience and ability to respond under pressure. The Rebels will now turn their attention to postseason play, entering the playoffs with momentum and confidence.
📸 Picture provided by Kimberly Bragg
