Lindsay Lane Christian Academy's Max Morrison (0) and Jackson Carter (99) shoulder bump as they come off the field after the fifth inning during the Lions 12-1 victory Monday over Athens Bible School.

A season of euphoria for Lindsay Lane Christian Academy’s baseball team hit its high note Monday with a doubleheader sweep of cross-town rival Athens Bible School, but the zenith of the Lions’ season might also have been its conclusion.

High school sports in Alabama are suspended until at least April 6 due to the state of emergency and mandatory school closures caused by the new coronavirus outbreak. Officials with the Alabama High School Athletic Association hope to continue the season if schools reopen, but nothing is certain at the moment.

That’s why Lindsay Lane’s historic season has a bittersweet feeling to it, coach Charles Morrison said.

“We’re torn because we understand (the school closures) are best for what’s going on in our world,” Morrison said. “However, when we look at our team and see the special season we’ve accumulated so far, it’s sad.”

Lindsay Lane is 15-1 on the season and ranks No. 6 in Class 1A in the latest statewide poll by Prep Baseball Report. The Lions took 12-1 and 9-3 victories Monday over Athens Bible, which was the first time the Lions had ever defeated the traditional power.

“ABS has really been the banner school when it comes to local baseball,” Morrison said. “I’ve admired their program for many years, and I respect coach (Bill) Murrell greatly. To be able to get two big wins is great for our program, and it just shows how much better this team has gotten over the years.”

The first game of the doubleheader was dominated by Lindsay Lane’s pitching. Ray Anderson pitched the first 5 2/3 innings and allowed no earned runs on four hits while striking out five.

Charlie Morrison got the final out of the sixth inning, which preserved Lindsay Lane’s 6-1 lead. The Lions scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to end the game an inning early.

Micah Perkins and Brady Anderson each had three hits for LLCA, with Perkins driving in two runs. Charlie Morrison had three RBIs on two hits, while Drew Turpen and Preston Haney had a hit and two RBIs each.

Connor Abernathy had two hits to lead Athens Bible, while Kacen Pierce added a double for the Trojans.

Second game

Lindsay Lane took control of the second game early by scoring five runs in the top of the first inning. Athens Bible cut the lead to 6-2 with two runs in the bottom of the fourth, but the Lions responded with three runs in the top of the seventh to pull away.

Camryn Peden pitched 6 2/3 innings to pick up the win. He allowed one earned run on two hits and struck out eight.

Brady Anderson led LLCA with three hits and two RBIs, while Seth Mitchell drove in two runs and Max Morrison hit a double.

Spenser Blake had a hit and an RBI for Athens Bible, while Connor Abernathy had the Trojans’ other hit.

Morrison said he met with his players after the second game and told them what the next three weeks would be like. The team is not allowed to hold practices, and players will have to work on their own until school is back in session April 6.

“It’s going to be pretty much all player-driven,” Morrison said. “We (the coaching staff) can’t do anything. I really challenged our players to continue throwing and hitting every day, except Wednesday and Sunday, until we are able to get back together. Parents can work with them, and they can work with each other, but as coaches, we can’t work with them.”

Morrison said information from the AHSAA indicates they are working on a condensed playoff format once schools are back in session.

“We’re just hoping and praying we’ll get a chance at the playoffs,” he said. “If we come back to school, I think they’ll have something in place. They’re going to do everything they can to make it happen.”

But even if the season doesn’t continue, the future looks very bright for the Lindsay Lane baseball program. The Lions have only three senior starters, and they also start five freshmen and one sophomore.

“I’ve coached a lot of these kids in travel baseball since they were 9 or 10 years old,” Morrison said. “They are maturing and growing, and we are super optimistic and excited about our future at Lindsay Lane. We’re just scratching the surface, to be honest.”

Morrison said he feels for his seniors, especially if the season doesn’t resume. But, there’s even a bright side to that, he said.

“If Monday was their last one, it was a good one to go out on,” Morrison said. “We have a good little crosstown rivalry with ABS and had never beaten them. To beat them convincingly like that will be something our seniors will always remember.”