‘I would take that guy all day.’ Sumrall-Stone delivers one of year’s top pitching duels
Game 1 of the Class 4A South State series delivered one of the better pitching duels of the season with Sumrall rallying for a 2-1 win over Stone High Thursday night.
Less than a week after throwing a shutout in an emotional win over Purvis two days following the death of his father, junior left-hander Gehrig Conard was again on top of his game for much of Thursday’s contest, striking out six straight batters at one point.
Sumrall (30-3) didn’t come up with its first hit until the fifth inning, but the Bobcats broke through in the sixth when a leadoff walk by pinch hitter Walker Long and a sacrifice bunt by Hayden Barrett set the stage for back-to-back RBI hits with one out — a single to center by Hayes Raner and a double well down the left field line by Marshall Phillips.
Sumrall senior lefty Kros Sivley, who improved to 9-2, made that 2-1 lead hold, giving up one run on four hits with seven strikeouts and no walks in seven innings.
“He kept us off balance with just a really good performance,” Stone High coach Sean Miller said.
Conard, who threw well over 100 pitches as he dropped to 9-2, began to tire in the sixth inning. In 6 ⅔ innings, he gave up two runs on four hits, striking out 10 and walking four.
“Believe it or not, he didn’t have his best stuff tonight,” Miller said. “Later, he got a little tired and his fastball was down a little bit. He had a good breaking ball, threw a lot of strikes.
“I can’t ask for a better performance from that kid considering everything he’s been through. I would take that guy all day any day. We just didn’t get it done.”
Gehrig, who received his first Div. I scholarship offer from South Alabama on Monday, again had a huge crowd on hand for support with an announced attendance of 1,716 — setting the mark for the biggest crowd of the season for the second consecutive week.
Word of the death of Stone High athletic director Kevin Conard, Gehrig’s father, on May 12 has spread across the state.
“He’s everything we’ve heard and more,” Purvis coach Andy Davis said of Gehrig. “Somebody like him being on our team would be unbelievable. He’s a leader on their team and they surrounded him with love. I went and talked with him after the game. He’s what you want in a pitcher. We’ve been praying for them, praying for the community. There’s no words to describe him having to come out here the past two weeks and do what he did. He did good enough to win the game.”
Stone (25-7) got on the scoreboard in the first inning when back-to-back singles by Tristan Hickman and Noah Tice led to a single run for the Tomcats.
Stone seemed in prime position to build on its lead in the third inning when Hickman stepped to the plate with one out and men on second and third. Hickman made solid contact, but he lined the ball directly at Sumrall second baseman Ty Little, who turned and ran to second base to beat Jonathan Burn back to the bag for the double play.
“I knew they had the infield in and I was looking for a fastball, something I can drive,” Hickman said. “I got a changeup and I hit it pretty hard. I don’t think I could hit it any harder. I just hit it right at the guy and he beat him to the bag. That’s the way baseball goes. It’s just like life. Stuff gets thrown at you and you’ve just got to respond.”
Stone High’s Cortez Dennis, a senior right-hander, will look to force a Game 3 when the two teams meet again at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Sumrall.
West Jones 9, Pascagoula 1
Senior Cole Tolbert had a huge game for the Mustangs in Game 1 of the Class 5A South State series in Soso. He had three hits, including a 2-run home run, and struck out 13 batters over six innings on the mound. Game 2 of the series will take place at 7 p.m. on Monday at Pascagoula.
Resurrection 14, Stringer 2
The Eagles put together a dominant performance in Game 1 at home, trouncing Stringer 14-2 in five innings.
The Eagles pounded out 12 hits, including a 3-for-4 night by J.T. Schnoor.
RCS didn’t have to push its starting pitcher, Cole Tingle, very hard. He allowed one run on four hits in 2 ⅔ innings. He struck out two and walked one.
Game 2 is set for 7 p.m. on Friday at Stringer.
This story was originally published May 20, 2021 at 11:44 PM.
