In a game that felt more like a playoff matchup than opening day, runs were scarce and, in the end, just one swing made the difference.
Easton Giger launched a two-run home run over the wall in right field just a few pitches after Sumrall ace Drew Davis exited the game, lifting Petal to a 2-1 victory in a classic season opener that featured just four combined hits and 21 strikeouts between the two teams.
“That’s as good a high school baseball game as you’re going to find, no matter where you go,” Petal head coach Connor Douglas said. “That’s some really good baseball right there. They’ve got a great program, and Drew had a phenomenal performance.”
The win marked Douglas’ first as Petal’s head coach.
Davis, for Sumrall, was electric in his first outing of the year. The right-hander tossed five and a third innings, allowing just one hit while striking out 10, including seven in a row at one point. Davis sat around 93 mph with his fastball and 77 mph with his slider.
“This was a playoff atmosphere game,” Sumrall head coach Andy Davis said. “First game, adrenaline flowing, heartbeat racing. But to him, this was just another game. He’s been doing it a long time.”
Opposite Davis was Petal’s Cooper Giger, who matched him pitch for pitch. Giger retired the first 10 batters he faced before a hit by pitch broke the streak in the fourth inning. The Ole Miss signee carried a no-hitter through five innings before being lifted.
“Man, he’s just a competitor,” Douglas said. “When he gets on the mound, he feels like he’s the best in the park. His fastball was electric tonight. That’s why he’s our dude.”
Giger kept the Panthers off balance with a lively fastball and a quick tempo that never allowed Sumrall hitters to settle in.
“He’s just a funky lefty,” Andy Davis said. “Works fast, good arm slot. He’s a bulldog on the mound. High energy, high octane. I hope we don’t have to face him again.”
For five full innings, neither offense could generate much of anything. Petal managed a couple of baserunners in the top of the fifth after a hit by pitch and a walk, but Davis struck out two to end the threat.
Meanwhile, Sumrall struggled to square up Giger’s fastball.
“We knew runs were going to be scarce tonight,” Douglas said. “When we got a baserunner, we had to make it count.”
That opportunity came in the top of the sixth.
Fischer Howell led off the inning with a hard-hit ball to first base that Braylen Graham lost in his glove for an error. After Riels Holds flew out to left field, Sumrall turned to Riggs Russell out of the bullpen.
Easton Giger was the first batter he faced, and a few pitches into the at-bat, he drove a high, inside fastball over the wall in right field to break the scoreless tie and give Petal a 2-0 lead.
“I like the high inside pitches,” Giger said. “I got my pitch and did what I needed to do.”
Did he know it was gone?
“Yes, sir.”
The two-run blast felt decisive in a game where offense was nearly nonexistent.
“We were just trying to see pitches and get what we liked,” Giger said. “We worked all week on getting pitch counts up but still trusting our bats.”
Sumrall didn’t go quietly.
The Bobcats broke through in the bottom of the sixth. Carson Speed walked with one out, and Davis followed with Sumrall’s first hit of the game — an RBI single that cut the deficit to 2-1. Tucker Barrett later grounded out to end the inning.
After Sumrall retired Petal in order in the top of the seventh, the Panthers turned to Deacon Crum to finish it.
Graham led off the bottom of the seventh with a single, and Jace Schultz followed with a walk, putting the first two Bobcats on with no outs. Eli Hicks batted into a fielder’s choice to put runners on the corners with one out.
Crum responded by striking out Parker Hawkins and Cooper McCoy on back-to-back punchouts to secure the road win.
Douglas said the resilience meant as much as the result.
“I’m just so proud of our guys for continuing to fight,” he said. “They found a way to win.”
The loss stung for Sumrall, but Andy Davis saw growth in a young lineup that featured four sophomores — including two first-time varsity players who came up in the final inning.
“I hate losing,” Davis said. “But it’s a long season. We get a base hit right there and maybe we win it 3-2. Those two guys striking out at the end — first varsity game ever. That’s something they’ll learn from and grow from.”
Both teams entered knowing the game would likely come down to pitch counts and bullpen management.
“Before the game, it boiled down to pitch counts,” Davis said. “They’re trying to run Drew’s up, we’re trying to run Cooper’s up, and then you go to the bullpen and make it a game.”
Nonetheless, it was a significant road win for Petal to open the season.
“Very big one,” Giger said. “We prepared for this all offseason. It feels good to come out and get the first one.”
