‘My goodness, he’s been great.’ Pascagoula and its freshman phenom are still alive in 5A
Freshman Griffin Wells’ remarkable postseason run on the mound continues, and so do the Pascagoula baseball team’s chances at a trip to the Class 5A state championship series.
Wells, a lanky right-hander, got the win for the Panthers (20-16) Monday night in a 13-3 decision over West Jones (26-7) in a six-inning Game 2 of the 5A South State series at Ingalls Field.
The series is now tied at 1-1 with a decisive Game 3 set for 7 p.m. on Tuesday at West Jones in Soso.
Wells, who had not given up a run in 18 consecutive postseason innings entering Monday night, picked up his fourth consecutive playoff victory. He lasted five innings, allowing three runs on five hits. He struck out six and walked four.
Wells looks much younger than the rest of his teammates on the field, standing about 5-foot-9, 140 pounds, but he has continued to beat talented competition each week during the playoffs.
“He’s a little skinny, but he’s shown some dog in him,” Pascagoula junior second baseman Houston Johnson said. “He’s got a lot of heart and I respect that from him.”
Griffin Wells continues to deliver for Pascagoula
Wells didn’t get his first pitching start of the season until a do-or-die Game 3 against South Jones in the first round of the playoffs. Up until that point, Pascagoula coach Richie Tillman had used him mostly to close out games.
Since getting his first opportunity as a starter, Wells has delivered far better than anyone could have anticipated.
“My goodness, he’s been great,” Tillman said. “He’s been phenomenal as a ninth grader. As much as he’s pitched for us, you can’t say anything better than he’s been awesome. He’s exactly what we’ve needed.”
Wells isn’t blowing away batters yet with his 79 mile-per-hour fastball, but he is placing the ball well and striking out batters with a nasty curveball.
“I’m just trying to throw strikes and the curveball is working,” a soft-spoken Wells said.
With each outing, he gains that more respect from his teammates.
“He came in as a seventh-grader and we used to call him, ‘Big Shirt.’ Because he was so small, his shirt was just big,” Johnson said. “We just got respect from him and then we just love him.”
After playing a big role in turning around Pascagoula’s fortunes, Wells has moved up in the world of dugout nicknames.
“We call him Griff,” Johnson said.
Wells’ greatest asset may be his ability to tune out the noise and stress of the playoffs.
“Pressure doesn’t bother him. The moment doesn’t bother him,” Tillman said. “He can handle it, and if he struggles, he’s still going to be fine.
“He keeps the ball down and normally throws more strikes. He struggled a little bit with the strike zone today and that’s why he didn’t finish the game.”
While Wells didn’t quite have the stuff he had in his previous outing, a complete-game 1-hitter against Pearl River Central, he gave the Panthers all they needed on a night when they piled up 13 runs over the final three innings.
It was Wells who gave Pascagoula its first lead of the game at 3-2 in the fourth when he ripped a two-run single up the middle with one down in the fourth.
“He’s not only a pitcher. He plays defense and he can hit for a little guy,” Tillman said.
Pascagoula pours it on West Jones
Pascagoula led 6-3 after five innings and a three-run home run by Houston Johnson to left to start a seven-run sixth allowed the game to finish an inning early and save some pitching for the Panthers.
Johnson was just trying to move the runners over on the first two pitches he saw, but he was quickly down 0-2 in the count.
“Then he just threw me an outside pitch and I drove it the other way,” Johnson said. “It just went out. I knew it was gone.”
Many in the park thought the ball would be a pop fly off the bat, but there was never any doubt from Johnson.
“It was sweet, right on the sweet spot,” he said.
Pascagoula senior center fielder Warren Garry also had a nice night at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and three runs batted in.
With the game done after six innings, Tillman will be allowed to put sophomore right-hander Braden Scott back on the mound Tuesday after he entered in the top of the sixth Monday to quell a West Jones rally attempt.
Scott did not hit the 25-pitch threshold, allowing him to start Tuesday night’s game at West Jones.
“We’re going to go with Braden, who is our No. 1,” Tillman said. “He’ll pitch better. I promise you he’ll pitch better tomorrow.”
West Jones coach Trey Sutton said he will counter with senior right-hander Cole Tolbert, who put in a stellar performance on the mound in a 9-1 victory for the Mustangs in Game 1 last Thursday. The Pearl River Community College commit struck out 13 and gave up one earned run on three hits in six innings against the Panthers.
Game 3
Pascagoula rallied with three runs in the top of the seventh inning to take down West Jones 5-3 on Tuesday in Soso, clinching the 5A South State title.
The Panthers will now play Saltillo (19-8) in Game 1 of the 5A state title series at 7 p.m. on Monday at Trustmark Park in Pearl.
A West Jones error and a pair of bases loaded walks helped the Panthers overcome a 3-2 deficit to start the seventh inning.
Sophomore right-hander Brayden Scott tossed a complete game for the Panthers, striking out four and walking one in seven innings. He allowed three runs on 11 hits.
Josh Forsman had a pair of hits and Sean Smith knocked in two runs for the Panthers (21-16).
This story was originally published May 25, 2021 at 12:16 AM.
