Mt. Hermon had a historic evening in Wednesday’s opening round Class B state playoff game in an 8-0 victory over Doyline at home Wednesday.
The Yellow Jackets captured their first playoff victory since 2004. The varsity came back in 2015 after a few years without a team.
“From where we started to where we are now, it’s all to these kids,” Mt. Hermon coach Matt Sessions said. “These kids come out and they bust their butts everyday and there’s a lot of sacrifice that comes in that. Finally these guys are starting to get respect that they deserve and are starting to make a name for themselves and it’s all due to them.”
Mt. Hermon was solid in every facet of Wednesday’s contest.
Pitcher Colby Smith threw a two-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts, three walks and a hit batter.
He backed up a strong offense that gave him eight runs of support and the defense made some big plays and played an errorless game.
“I really couldn’t do anything without my defense behind me,” Smith said. “They had a few good shots in the outfield and my outfielders were there to stop it. Before the game, I was just focusing on controlling and pounding the zone early in the counts and it just worked, but shoot, this game wouldn’t have been nowhere without the offense, their hitting.”
The Yellow Jackets scored the game’s first two runs in the first inning.
Trey Brumfield doubled down the third-base line and went to third on a throwing error from a pickoff throw. Kam Brumfield split the left centerfield gap for an RBI double that plated Trey Brumfield. Trey Brumfield scored on a two-out RBI single by Byron Hyatt to make it 2-0 after one.
Doyline had a chance to score in the third, still trailing 2-0, but defense and pitching held them off the board.
Jake Pepper walked. After the first out, Trey Ware hit a deep drive down the left field line. It appeared the Panthers would have second-and-third with one out, but the Yellow Jackets made a big play. Left fielder Trey Brumfield hit the cutoff man Kam Brumfield and his relay throw went to third baseman Trent Wilson, who applied the tag for the second out.
“We practice that (play) everyday,” Smith said. “Everyday we bust our butts on that and it finally paid off in a game when we really needed it.”
The third out was recorded when the Yellow Jackets picked a runner off before tagging him in a rundown.
Mt. Hermon added a run in the bottom of the third. Clinton Roux reached on an error and later scored on Wilson’s RBI single.
The Yellow Jackets broke the game open with five runs in the fourth.
Tevin Williams got hit to lead off. Bryce Latiolais singled and Trey Brumfield reached on a fielder’s choice as Williams beat the throw at third. Williams and Latiolais scored on separate wild pitches to make it 5-0. Brumfield went to third on the wild pitches and Roux singled him home with one out to make it a 6-0 game. Smith got hit and then Wilson picked up an RBI from a fielder’s choice. Wilson hit a ball to short. The throw to second was in time, but the Panthers could not get Wilson at first. Roux never stopped running and his baserunning allowed him to score the seventh run. Wilson stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on Hyatt’s RBI single to make it a 8-0 game.
The 15th-seeded Yellow Jackets improved to 16-8 and advanced to the regional round on Monday at 4:30 p.m. They will travel to face second-seeded Elizabeth. Elizabeth is 25-9 and had a bye in the first round.
Trey Brumfield and Kam Brumfield both doubled. Trey Brumfield scored two runs while Kam Brumfield drove in a run and scored one.
Roux singled, recorded an RBI and two runs.
Wilson singled and scored.
Hyatt singled twice and drove in a run.
Williams and Latiolais both scored a run.
Latiolais singled and Williams was hit.
Doyline was limited to two hits, one each by Ware and Jeremy Miller.