SPANISH FORT, Alabama – With Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs singing Wooly Bully over the P.A. system, "Uno, dos, tres, cuatro," the three time defending champion Spanish Fort Toros got their chance to make it so this weekend.

Spanish Fort won their third and deciding game with a defiant Russell County 4-3 on The Hill Saturday with the tying Warrior run in scoring position in each of the final two innings.

The bull-headed Toros charged back from a 5-0 shutout loss in Game One Friday to win the doubleheader nightcap 8-0 and then the finale Saturday.

Spanish Fort (39-7) is set to play Hartselle at Paterson Field in Montgomery Friday in the opener of the Class 5A state-championship series at 4 p.m. It will be their fourth-straight trip to the title showcase, but the first under first-year head coach Brent Boyd who had only four returning starters this spring.

“The players did this,” Boyd said. “They wanted it and I left it up to them to show how much. I never doubted they could get back. My job, I saw, was just to put them in the best possible position to do what they do. Only four had been there and played a lot on last year’s team. So this is basically their time to continue leading and they have been great. The younger guys stepped up, too, accepted the challenge and contributed.

“Russell County took us to the limit, pushed us to be at our best when we no had to. Power hitting and power pitching all the way and it came down to big defense and our guys just would not be denied. I’m just very proud of them and for them.”

Gunner Hendrix (9-1) got the win going 4.2 innings with Rob Perteet (3-0) picking up his second save in closing for SF.

The Warriors broke the nil-nil starting score in the top of the third when Hunter Webb smacked a two-run homer over the centerfield wall.

SF tied it in the bottom half after Hendrix drove in Myles York who singled and Perteet singled in Matt Hall who took a pitch to the body. A fielders choice by Jesse McCord had put the runners in scoring position.

In the fourth Will Luft worked a lead-off walk, stole second and Tyler Trammell SAC-bunted him to third. A tie-breaking double by York to score Luft gave SF the 3-2 lead.

McCord was then hit by a pitch to load the bases and Hendrix singled in York for the second time. It was a cushion run the Toros would need. The Warriors’ B.J. Brooks then came in to relieve RC starting pitcher Will Ziebol.

RC threatened in the sixth with the bases loaded. Brooks drove in Trent Belcher with a sacrifice fly and put the tying run at third, but Perteet got a strike out for no further damage.

In the seventh Perteet struck out the lead-off batter but gave up his only walk to the next. SF defense then came through as Luft robbed Russell County’s Webb of a single up the middle with a diving snag and a long throw to first. The runner held in scoring position with two away, but Perteet picked up his fourth strike out for the win.

The Warriors season ended with a 43-8 record.

On Friday, it was a tale of two shutouts which forced the third and deciding game as the Toros bounced back from a 5-0 loss with an 8-0 win.

Both games appeared to be headed for short-game, pitching duels, but turned into long-ball productions in the later innings.

A bases-loaded walk to Hendrix finally put an SF run up after RCHS held the Toros scoreless for 11 innings. Reagan Eubanks started the rally with a lead-off, stand-up double and scored the go-ahead on Hendrix’ eye. A Sac-Bunt by York and an intentional walk to SF pitcher McCord set it up.

With the bases still loaded Perteet then blasted a 2-out grand slam over the score board in right field for a 5-0 lead.

In the sixth inning, Hall doubled in Trammel and York. In the seventh SF catcher Brian Lane added a solo home run to left field to make it 8-0. McCord struck out 14 and held the Warriers to three hits for the must-win win.

In the first game Jesse Nelson tossed a two-hitter for the 5-0 Russell County win. Spanish Fort starter Ethan Walker also held the Warriors to two hits until the sixth inning.

Trevor Davis, Anfernee Grier and Nelson each homered for RCHS for a 4-0 lead. The Warriors then added one in the seventh inning on an error.

Game Two of the championship series is set for Saturday at 10 a.m.