Class 1A baseball: Hubbertville pulls of stunning comeback, beats Fayetteville for state title

Fayetteville stood just two outs away from a state championship and a historic milestone, looking to secure its first title in four decades. But third-ranked Hubbertville refused to let the moment pass, mounting a stunning late-game rally to flip the script and capture the program's first-ever state baseball championship.

A Historic Comeback

The Lions' path to glory was anything but conventional. After Fayetteville took Game 1 of the series 14-4 on Wednesday, the Wolves pushed ahead in Thursday's Game 2, holding a 5-2 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning at Jacksonville’s Jim Case Stadium. Hubbertville surged, batting around the order to tie the game on a Ceth Hollingsworth bunt before Blaize Wakefield delivered a walk-off RBI double in the eighth. The momentum propelled the Lions to a 10-2 victory in the final game, securing a sweep of the day’s action.

"These guys have been through a lot of adversity," Hubbertville coach Adam Brand said. "They know what it takes to win. We ask them to be champions in everything they do, and they took that to heart. They never quit."

The Kizzire Factor

Sophomore Cruz Kizzire proved to be the hero of the series, earning MVP honors after securing the win in both games. Despite battling through elbow issues that sidelined him for much of the final month, Kizzire dominated on the mound. He tossed two shutout innings of relief in the first game before starting and going 5.1 innings in the finale, limiting Fayetteville to one run on three hits.

"Not many people know this, but Cruz went through some elbow stuff in the last game of the regular season, and we had to baby him for four weeks," Brand added. "Last week was the first time he had thrown off the mound in a month. When we have him out there, we like our chances."

Fayetteville's Gritty Run

Despite the heartbreak of the comeback, Fayetteville’s season stands as a testament to perseverance. The Wolves entered the postseason unranked and sporting a losing record, eventually finishing as state runners-up with a 22-20 overall mark. "When everyone counted us out, we made a deep run," senior Ever Olguin reflected. "I wouldn’t trade this team for anything."

Stats and History

Hubbertville finishes the year 27-8, marking a banner season for the school's athletics after strong showings in football and basketball. The baseball state title is the seventh in school history, joining trophies from boys basketball (1948), girls basketball (1980, 1989), and slow-pitch softball (1989, 1990, 1991).

Game 1 Summary

Hubbertville: Cole Brand, Carter Brand, and Wakefield each tallied two hits. Starting pitcher Cole Brand allowed five runs in six innings.

Fayetteville: Blake McDaniel, Eli Franklin, and Aden Hernandez provided key RBIs. Brenton Cantrell struck out five across 5.1 innings of work.

Game 2 Summary

Hubbertville: Wakefield went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Cole Brand added a 2-for-3 performance. Kane Rushing contributed three RBIs in the winning effort.

Fayetteville: Carter Goins led the offense, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.