Providence Christian’s David McClurkin Ties National Record with 5 HBP’s in a Single Game 

DOTHAN, AL – Senior David McClurkin made history last week by tying a National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) record. The Providence Christian standout was hit by a pitch five times during the Eagles’ 26-12 victory over Slocomb on April 3, 2024. This remarkable achievement sets a new Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) single-game record and matches the NFHS National Record, as listed in the NFHS Record Book. 

Record-Breaking Performance Highlights 

McClurkin’s ability to reach base by enduring five hit-by-pitches proved pivotal, as he scored each time. Under head coach Casey Smith, the Eagles capitalized on McClurkin’s resilience to secure a dominant win. 

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time a significant record has been set against Slocomb. Last season, Jaxon Langham tied an AHSAA record with five consecutive walks in a game against Eufaula during the Butch Youman Spring Break Tournament. Three of Langham’s walks were intentional with the bases loaded, driving in runs each time and highlighting Slocomb’s place in AHSAA record books once again. 

McClurkin’s Key Plays 

According to Dothan Eagle sportswriter David Mundee, McClurkin was hit twice in the seventh inning alone. His on-base success supported power hitting from his teammates, including a grand slam by Brooks Canady in the first inning and a three-run homer in the third. McClurkin also scored on Hudson Deer’s double, Kingston Sims’ RBI single, and Parker Hall’s sacrifice fly in later innings. 

Canady finished with two home runs and seven RBIs, providing an offensive boost that complemented McClurkin’s contributions. 

Historical Context and AHSAA Record Updates 

McClurkin’s five HBPs break the previous AHSAA record of four, a milestone reached by nine different players, including Piedmont’s Hayes Gunn in 2024. Notably, John Garrett Bryant of Pleasant Valley holds the record for consecutive at-bats hit-by-pitch, with six straight plate appearances spanning two separate games in 2023. 

The AHSAA season record for HBPs belongs to Thompson’s Tucker Arrington, who was hit by pitches 33 times over 44 games in 2023. Arrington also holds the career record with 60 HBPs between 2022 and 2024, narrowly edging Parker Hall of Hazel Green, who was hit 55 times throughout his career from 2000 to 2023. 

Additional Key Moment from AHSAA Play 

Elsewhere, Hewitt-Trussville, ranked 14th nationally by MaxPreps, pulled off a thrilling 4-3 win over 30th-ranked Vestavia Hills in a critical Class 7A, Area 6 matchup. With the bases loaded and the game tied 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh, Koal Duckett was hit by a pitch, driving in the winning run in dramatic fashion. 

Hewitt-Trussville’s rally began in the sixth inning when Colby Durden crushed a two-run homer to tie the game. Blake Bales, Luke Filasek, and Steele Hall set the stage in the seventh with singles and a bunt, allowing Duckett’s HBP to seal the victory for Coach Jeff Mauldin’s squad.

Other AHSAA standout performances reported:

JACK BUTLER, TALLASSEE: Pitched 4 1/3 innings of shutout ball in a relief role in the series-opening 16-2 five-inning win on Thursday. He recorded eight strikeouts and no walks. The junior was 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs. Thomas Lemmond went the distance in a 7-1 win for the Tigers in a twin bill on Friday. Lemmond. He struck out five with no bases on balls. Abram Whittington hurled five-inning no-hitter in the 10-0 win in game two. He was a hit batter away from a perfect game. The sophomore struck out four.

LANDON JONES, BILLINGSLEY: The Bears’ catcher leads the AHSAA this season in throwing baserunners out while trying to steal. According to the latest MaxPreps statistics released this week, Jones, who had two hits and two RBIs in a 9-4 over Maplesville, has thrown out 14 of 17 runners attempting to steal this season. He has a .994 fielding average and an .824 percentage throwing out runners (14 of 17). Only three runners have stolen a base with him behind the plate this season.

BRODY BLACK, OAK GROVE: Hurled  five-inning two-hitter striking out eight as Oak Grove beat Tuscaloosa Academy 10-0. He extended his scoreless innings pitched to 11 in a row with the effort. Black  is 8-0 on the season with 58 strikeouts in 34 1/3 innings and has fashioned a 1.02 ERA.

BLAKE RICHARDSON, ENTERPRISE: Improved to 6-0 with a 4-0 win over Mosley (FL) last week. Hurled a seven-inning one-hitter in the shutout striking out nine. He hurled a seven-inning no-hitter with 10 strikeouts over Fairhope the week before. He had his scoreless inning pitching streak extend to 15 innings – yielding only one hit, walking six and striking out 21 during that stretch for the Wildcats.

CORBIN HAMRIC, SUSAN MOORE: Upped his state-leading strikeout total to 126 last week with 13 in 7-4 win over Cleveland. This season he has had 18 strikeouts in  win over Hanceville, 17 in wins over Appalachian and Holly Pond,  16 in a victory over Southeastern, and 13 versus West End and Cleveland in the last week. He has whiffed 126 of the 220 batters he has faced this season pitching over 55 innings.

TYLER McLENDON, GOSHEN: The Eagles’ senior delivered four hits in the Eagles’ 13-3 Class 2A, Area 3 win over Luverne with a double, three runs scored and two RBIs.

EDWARD McLEOD, ST. PAUL’S EPISCOPAL: Pounded a grand slam homer to highlight s six-run outburst in the second inning in the Saints’ 9-6 loss to Faith Academy. The Rams clinched the win with  four-run rally in the sixth inning. Riley Wilemon had two hits overall driving in a key run in his final at bat in the late rally. He also plated  a run with a sacrifice fly to lead Faith Academy. Riley Hall (6-1) got the complete-game mound win with four strikeouts.

COLTON ARMSTRONG, RUSSELL COUNTY: Scored six runs in a doubleheader sweep of Park Crossing and slugged his sixth home run of the season in  a 5-2 loss to Rehobeth in Class 6A, Area 3 play.

TUCKER HICKS, SATSUMA: Fired a three-hitter and struck out four in a 4-0 shutout win over St. Michael Catholic. Hicks only needed 58 pitches – 48 strikes – averaging just eight pitches an inning in his complete-game win. He issued no walks. He drove in with a  two-out, two-strike single foe the Gators (14-8) in the fourth inning.

CARTER STEPHENS, WEST MORGAN: Has gone 9-for-13 in his last four games with eight RBIs, six runs scored and three double to push his season batting average to .509 for the Class 4A Rebels. He was 4-for-6 with three runs scored and five RBIs in a doubleheader sweep of Area 13 opponent Good Hope. He was 3-for-4 with an RBI in a 6-4 victory over Elkmont, and he was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs in a 17-2 over Area 13 foe Danville.

GARRETT RITTER, EAST LIMESTONE: The Indians’ No. 9 hitter in the lineup delivered a single to right field to plate the winning run in the sixth inning as East Limestone, trailing 3-0, rallied for four runs to take a 4-3 victory over Ardmore. East Limestone’s No. 8 batter Brodie Coker drilled a sharp hit to center driving in two runs tie the game at 3-3 setting up Ritter’s clutch hit.

CHRISTOPHER MILES, HARTSELLE: Slugged a double and triple in a 14-2 win over Decatur in the first game of a doubleheader to drive in one run. He slugged a seventh-inning grand slam in the Tigers’ 20-5 win in game two to plate four more runs as Hartselle swept its Class 6A, Area 15 rivals.

AIDEN HUGHES, CHELSEA: Allowed two hits and struck out 10 in 5 1/3 innings to get the win as Chelsea downed Helena 4-2 in Class 6A, Area 7 play.

FEATURED IMAGE: Providence Christian’s David McClurkin (21) is shown sliding into second base in the Class 3A state baseball playoffs in 2024 as Prattville Christian’s Tanner Byrd (27) catches the ball.  (PHOTO COURTESY | Montgomery Advertiser / Jake Crandall)