By Stan Caldwell
stanmansportsfan.com
SUMRALL – Expectations are sky-high for Sumrall baseball this season, and, so far, the Bobcats appear to be on target for meeting those expectations.
Sumrall took no prisoners and wasted precious little time in disposing of Poplarville in the second game of a two-game Region 7-4A series Friday night, whipping the Hornets 13-3 in five innings at Larry Knight Field.
The Bobcats, ranked seventh in the state in the Mississippi Gridiron Overall rankings and No. 1 in Class 4A, improved to 11-2 overall. Poplarville, ranked fifth in 4A, dropped to 8-4.
The win completed a sweep of the first region series of the season for both teams after Sumrall won 9-3 Thursday at Poplarville.
“Last night was one of those games where we scored six runs in the first inning, then kind of sat on our lead, then we scored some runs late,” said Sumrall coach Larry Knight. “We talked today, let’s don’t let up, and I thought we were focused and took care of business.”
After a scoreless first inning, the Bobcats jumped all over Hornet starter Cade Johnson in the second inning, scoring nine runs on five hits, three walks and a hit batter, with two of the walks and hit batter coming with the bases loaded.
Johnson left with two out and the bases loaded again, and junior Javan Williams promptly cleared them with a double into the gap in right-centerfield. Williams came into the game batting just .219 but added two singles to his three-run double on Friday.
“Usually, I’ve been going up there a little tense and I’ve been letting the game get to me,” said Williams, who drove in four runs for Sumrall. “Tonight, I went up there more confident and relaxed, and I saw the ball real well.”
That second-inning outburst was way more than enough support for senior right-hander Halen Sanford (3-1), who went all five innings for the Bobcats.
Sanford retired the first nine batters he faced on just 27 pitches over the first three innings, and finished with six strikeouts, one walk and two hit batters, allowing three runs on four hits.
“I was just in a real good groove, then toward the end I sort of lost focus,” said Sanford. “I was real confident in my fastball. I got a few swings and misses with my change-up and my curveball, but my fastball was my best pitch.”
Senior Hunter Barrett and Williams started the big second-inning rally with singles, then senior Mason Story walked to lead the bases. Senior Dannis Jackson was hit by a pitch to drive in the first run of the game and senior Zane Berry walked in another run.
Senior Graham Crawford made it 4-0 with a single to rightfield and senior Billy Garrity walked to load the bases again, and Barrett made it 5-0 with yet another free pass. Following Williams’ big blow, Story doubled for the final run of the inning.
The Bobcats added two more runs in the third, when Jackson and Berry led off the inning with singles, and they eventually scored with two out on a single by junior Seth Mitchell.
Sanford lost his perfect game on a leadoff single in the fourth but got a strikeout with runners at second and third to keep Poplarville off the scoreboard.
However, the Hornets made Sumrall bat in the bottom of the fifth by scoring three runs in the top half of the inning, two scoring on a double by Cannan Ray for Poplarville.
“I think it was one of those deals where you walk out there with an 11-0 lead, and maybe (Sanford) wasn’t quite as focused as he had been earlier,” said Knight. “And they’ve got some kids who can hit.
“I had to go out there and calm him down a little bit, get him refocused, and he got out of it, then we responded in the bottom of the fifth.”
Fittingly, it was Williams who brought the game to an end in the fifth with a sharp grounder into rightfield with Garrity on third.
Berry led off with a walk, took second on a wild pitch and scored on an error off the bat of Barrett. Garrity then stole third to get into position for the game-ending run.
Sumrall has won six state championships in 12 previous seasons under Knight, but it’s been four years since the last one. With a talented, senior-laden team, the Bobcats are aiming for nothing less than another title.
“I hope to play for a state championship,” said Sanford. “That’s every team’s goal, and I think we have a good chance of doing it.
Prep Baseball Linescore
Friday at Larry Knight Field
Sumrall 13, Poplarville 3
Pop. 000 03 – 3 4 1
Sum. 092 02 – 13 12 0
POPLARVILLE (8-4, 0-2 in 7-4A): Tyson Holston 2 1B; Canaan Ray 2B, 1B; Riley Passman 1B. LP – Cade Johnson. Also pitching – Eli Goodwin; Joseph Blakeney; Blaise Breerwood.
SUMRALL (11-2, 2-0 in 7-4A): Dannis Jackson 1B; Zane Berry 2 1B; Graham Crawford 2 1B; Seth Mitchell 1B; Hunter Barrett 1B; Javan Williams 2B, 2 1B (4 RBIs); Mason Story 2B, 1B. WP – Halen Sanford (3-1) 6 Ks.
