PURVIS – Sumrall set the tone when Javan Williams hit a solo home run off Purvis’ starting pitcher Jessie Johnson in the second inning.
That home run, however, was more than just the first run of the game, or the first wave of momentum. But for Williams, it was the first home run of his high school career, and it helped Sumrall take down Purvis 5-2 Tuesday night.
“That was the best feeling I ever had,” Williams said. “Ever since I got into high school, I’ve been wanting to hit a home run. Tonight, it finally came through in one of the biggest rivalry games of the whole season. Once you do something like that, it really gives momentum to the batters. It was good I did that because we really started hitting the ball after that.”
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In the next two innings, Sumrall (15-3, 4-1) scored all the runs it needed in the series-opening win over the Tornadoes (9-6-1, 3-2).
“I think (the home run) was very big,” Sumrall coach Larry Knight said. “It shows that we can put a spot on the board off of (Johnson). He shut us out for seven or eight innings last year. Being able to score early was going to be important to us, and we did a good job of that. Javan has been kind of a sleeper for us this year. He didn’t get much action last year. He’s done a tremendous job and got us on the board early. “
In the third inning, Billy Garrity followed with an RBI double but the game-deciding inning came in the fourth. Johnson uncharacteristically loaded the bases by hitting the leadoff hitter and then walked two more. The Bobcats capitalized as Dannis Jackson hit a sacrifice fly and Zane Berry followed with a two-run RBI single to give Sumrall a 5-1 lead.
Despite the fourth inning, Purvis coach Tony said that the game was easily one of Johnson’s best games of the season.
“That was one of Jessie’s better games tonight,” Farlow said. “I thought he had a pretty good game. In the fourth inning, I thought he struggled a little bit. He hit the leadoff guy and walked the next guy. I thought he had a pretty good pitching performance tonight.”
In Johnson’s appearance, he threw seven strikeouts, walked two batters, hit another and allowed five runs off five hits.
“I think the difference between is we just couldn’t get a timely hit,” Farlow said. “We left some guys on base. A lot of times we didn’t get them on until we had two outs and we couldn’t score. Sumrall had a couple of timely hits and I think that was the difference in the game tonight.”
Purvis left eight runners on base compared to Sumrall’s three, but the deciding factor in the game was Sumrall’s sidearm reliever John Cody Stogner. Stogner entered in relief of starting pitcher Halen Sanford midway through the fifth inning. Farlow said that it was the first time this season that his team had seen a sidearm pitcher.
In Stogner’s appearance, he walked one batter, threw three strikeouts and retired the last seven batters in a row while recording the save.
“He is one of the better (sidearm pitchers) I’ve had as far as throwing strikes and commanding it because usually (sidearm pitchers) go out there and hit a few guys and make a coach get a grey head in a hurry,” Knight said. “[He throws] nothing hard but has tremendous movement and a very good breaking ball. It’s hard to find guys like that who can command it as well. He’ll run through it and throw three pitches to a hitter and get out of a situation very quickly and that’s what he did tonight.”
In Stogner’s last three appearances, he’s logged eight innings while recording seven strikeouts, one walk and just one hit.
“I guess I’m just more comfortable now,” Stogner said. “It used to be whenever I would go out there I would be jittery, but I’ve gotten more comfortable and now I can hit my spots and throw my pitches well. It felt pretty good (to get the call against Purvis). I’ve been wanting to get the chance, and since I did, I knew I had to do my job.”
Sumrall and Purvis will face again on Friday in Sumrall at 6:30 p.m.
