Sumrall wins title in Game 3 against Ripley
PEARL — It doesn't matter how state titles come for Sumrall baseball coach Andy Davis. Leaving Trustmark Park with first-place hardware is just as good as any.
Sumrall (34-5) won the MHSAA Class 4A state title 2-0 in Game 3 over Ripley (24-12) Saturday. The championship is Sumrall's seventh overall and Davis has been the coach for each one.
Sumrall's starting pitcher, Landon Hawkins, knew his number would be called in Game 3 in his first pitching appearance of the series. Hawkins pitched all seven innings, allowing four hits no runs and recorded two strikeouts.
“(Assistant) Coach (Joshua) Miller told me before the game, ‘Ripley will hit velocity. They got good swings, but your changeup will be the difference,'” Hawkins said. “Once we got the changeup working, they didn't really have a chance. That's just the way it was.”
The fifth inning saw the most base runners for Sumrall with two. After Malek McNair and Leo Odom singles there were runners on the corners. Sumrall pressured Ripley starting pitcher Ty Long for the first time in the series.
With two outs, Drew Davis hit a high fly ball to center field. Without Davis and Sumrall even realizing, Ripley center fielder Curt Cohea dropped the ball after closing his glove too soon, allowing two runs to cross home plate.
Hawkins said Sumrall tried to change its approach at the plate after Long struck out 18 in Game 1. It might not have mattered much, but Sumrall took advantage of the opportunity given.
Andy Davis said Long was one of the best pitchers any of his teams have faced in his 17 years at Sumrall.
Long, a Southern Miss signee, allowed four hits and recorded 27 strikeouts in two games on the mound in the three-game series.
“I'm just glad that the rest of the state got to see what we see every single day,” Ripley coach Joel Gafford said of Long's performance.
Michael Chavez covers high school sports, among others, for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at mchavez@gannett.com or reach out to him on X, formerly Twitter @MikeSChavez .