Power surge: Trojans blast their way into Elite Eight
The Gordon Lee Trojans finally returned to the field on Saturday after more than a twoweek layoff and earned a sweep of visiting Clinch County in the second round of the Class A Public School state playoffs.
The Trojans won the first game, 8-7, in dramatic fashion before a less-stressful 11-4 victory in the second game.
Gordon Lee 8, Clinch County 7
In the opener, the lead changed hands five times in the first four innings, but the visiting Panthers held a 7-5 lead going into the bottom of the seventh as they looked for the upset.
But Ethan Clark led off the seventh with a single, Noah Peterson drew a walk and Dylan Minghini reached base on an error to load them up. Austin Thompson then coaxed a walk from Brennan Register to bring in a run.
Warren Stovall replaced Register on the mound and got Caleb Hopkins looking for out one. But Drew McDaniel worked Stovall for an eight- pitch at-bat before slicing a line drive down the left field line. The hit appeared to be headed for extra bases, but a spectacular diving catch by the Panthers’ left fielder temporarily saved the game as only the tying run was able to tag up and score.
That’s when Gordon Lee head coach Mike Dunfee made the decision to pinch hit with Chris Potter and the sophomore delivered with a twoout, line-drive double to bring in the winning run.
“That was awesome. There’s nothing better,” Potter beamed. “I was expecting a curveball, but he was throwing straight fastballs so I just waited on one. I was just trying to hit it to the backside, get the runners around and not try to do too much.”
“We have faith in Chris,” Dunfee explained. “He’s been swinging it well in (batting practice) and it was just a gut feeling to go with him in that situation. The kid came through and I didn’t have any doubt that he wouldn’t. I’m super proud of him.”
Clark started on the hill, but got no decision after throwing just two innings. Cole Tarvin
and Hunter Hodson both pitched in relief. Hodson got the win after allowing one hit and one walk with two strikeouts in 2.2 innings of work.
Clark also went 3-for-4 with a run, while seven other Gordon Lee hitters had one hit each. Minghini drove in two with a first-inning single and McDaniel added a pair of RBIs. Hopkins and Mason Pettigrew also had solo RBIs.
Gordon Lee 11, Clinch County 4
The two teams were just able to beat the weather in Game 2, but the Panthers weren’t able to avoid the Trojans’ power surge as the Navy-and-White - playing as the visiting team - broke open a 1-1 tie with a five-run third inning.
Thompson brought in two with a bases-loaded double and Hopkins followed up with a run-scoring single. An inning later, Kobie Cowan, who doubled and scored in the top of the first, blasted a solo homer to make it 7-1.
Clinch County (16-13) used a three-run fourth inning – highlighted by a two-run double by Tate Kight - to briefly tighten things up. However, with the wind uncharacteristically blowing out to left, the Trojans began to turn Claude Hendrix Field into their own miniature Wrigley Field.
Peterson led off the fifth inning with a long solo homerun. Minghini followed up with a solo shot and, after a single by Thompson, Hopkins hit Gordon Lee’s third dinger of the frame to account for the final runs of the game.
“We played a little better in Game 2 once we got loose,” Dunfee said. “That’s what it takes in this type of atmosphere. Just loosen up and have fun.”
Thompson threw the first four innings to get the victory, giving up four earned runs on three hits and three walks with five strikeouts. Cowan and Jake Wright teamed up to work the final three innings. Duncan Lutz was saddled with loss for the Panthers.
Clark stayed hot with three more hits, an RBI and three runs scored. Hopkins was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. McDaniel, Thompson and Minghini had two hits apiece, while Thompson drove in two runs.
“You have to give credit and tip your hat to (Clinch County) because they came out fighting,” Dunfee said. “Coach Lee (Douglas) does a good job and had them ready to go. I think we might have been a little tight, but like we always say – it doesn’t matter how you start the game, it’s how you finish it. We’ve been there and done that before.
“It’s the grittiest team I’ve ever seen and they aren’t going to give up until that last out is recorded.”
Gordon Lee (23-5) will face Irwin County (21-6) in the Elite Eight starting this Wednesday with a doubleheader. A third game, if needed, would be played on Thursday. The time of first pitch had not been set as of press time.
Irwin beat Miller County, 11-10 and 4-2, in second round series after a 15-0, 18-3 sweep of Marion County in the first round.
“I thought we swung the bats well today and ran the bases well,” Dunfee added. “But we have to do a better job (next round) of filling up the zone and making plays on defense.”
Should Gordon Lee win the next series, they would host Charlton County or Johnson County in the semifinals.
Charlton County hosted Gordon Lee in the Class A Public School state finals in 2013 and 2014, winning both times in series that went three games.