FAIRHOPE, Alabama — Fairhope swept Robertsdale in a 6A Area 3 baseball series over the weekend to open the 2012 playoff hunt. The Pirates took a 1-0 win at Robertsdale Friday night, then won both Saturday games 9-1 and 4-0 at Volanta Park.

The first two games of these area series count directly in the standings with game three a tie-break decider.

Fairhope coach Stu Fuller said the key to the sweep was his pitchers’ performances and some timely hitting.

“Our pitching was outstanding. At times we swung the bats okay, sometimes we didn’t. Robertsdale kept us off balance and kept us from getting great swings. It’s good to get off to a good start in the area and we’ll just take each weekend as it comes.”

Golden Bears coach Kevin Raley was most disappointed in his team’s work at the plate overall and their errors in game two but acknowledged the Fairhope pitching staff's consistency.

“Two runs in 21 innings, not very good. Not very good,” he said about how his hitters matched up to the Pirates’ pitching. “But a lot of that is Fairhope. You know their pitchers threw very well. But part of it is (us) taking way too many first-pitch strikes. And that mentality’s wrong. You have to go up there ready to hit and we got behind in the count a lot and — (against) a good ball club — obviously, that does not help us.”

Raley said his pitching was strong and team defense, except for the middle game, was very good.

“Isaac (Bradford) threw a gem (three-hits, eight strikeouts) for us in game one. That was a great ball game — had our chance —just didn’t get it done.”

Raley added his defense made too many mistakes in game two.

“Up until that time, we had been playing outstanding baseball. Just played great, but that game we didn’t and it’s one of those that just came at a bad time. But our main concern right now is we’re not hitting the baseball.”

Toby Thomas (5-0) got the game one win and Ethan Hunt (5-0) the win in game two. Quint Fields improved to 3-1 for Fairhope in game three. Thomas also gave up three hits against Bradford but struck out 13 and got a SAC-fly RBI by Beecher Faust in the visitor’s sixth for the difference.

Hunt threw a four-hitter in his fifth win and enjoyed the benefits from two RBIs from Taylor Gradle, one from Chase Domino who went 2-for-3 with a double as well as five from Justin Hathcock who belted two home runs for Fairhope.

“Justin was on fire,” Fuller said. “He struggled a little bit early, now he’s getting on the ball and that’s a good sign. We need him to be a run producer in that six spot.”

Fields went the distance on a three hitter for the Pirates who gave him a one-run lead in the first inning and added to it in the second, fourth and fifth. Sam Kent tripled, Thomas drove him in and Gradle picked up another RBI.

The Bears and Pirates could meet again this week in the Gulf Coast Classic II with both playing at the Robertsdale hosted site. Daphne will be at site host Gulf Shores Sports Complex, Foley High will host Spanish Fort among others and Baldwin County High will host several upstate teams at Loxley. Play continues through Thursday with semifinals at Gulf Shores Sportsplex and Foley at 10 a.m. and the final at 1:30 p.m. at the Sportsplex.