The Selma Times-Journal

If anything, the Dallas County baseball team could take positive momentum out of this season.

The Hornets expected to make the playoffs again this year, but those aspirations fizzled out weeks ago.

A 9-3 win against Selma on Wednesday didn’t change anything, but it was one more positive for the team.

“This is a great way to end it, with our seniors going out with a win in their last game,” Hornets coach Ty Riggins said. “Jacob Paxton did a good job pitching today, and that’s been what we’ve been missing all year. We hadn’t been consistent at all with our pitching.

“We drop to 4A next year, so the expectations are going to be higher.”

Aside from allowing a two-run shot in the bottom of the fifth and another run in the sixth, Paxton kept the Saints’ bats quiet.

Sean Barrett and Drew Blackmon singled in runs to highlight a five-run third inning for the Hornets, giving them all the offense they needed. Barrett singled to drive in another run in the sixth.

Selma went scoreless for the majority of the game until Justin Moorer-Jones hit a sailing fly ball over the left field fence. The homer cut DCHS’s lead to 7-2 in the fifth.

It was one of the few times the Saints’ balls didn’t find the Hornets’ gloves.

“T-Ray (Mitchell) pitched well enough to win this game, we just didn’t play defense for him,” Selma coach Riley White said. “Todd Riggins just has my number. I played him eight times when he was at Isabella and I was at Autaugaville, and he got me 7-1. He got me over here, too. We hit the ball hard today, but they made all the plays.”