If it weren’t for a few errors and free bases here and there in Game 2, Elmore County’s baseball team would’ve had a near perfect day in the opening round of the AHSAA Class 5A playoffs. The Panthers smoked Jemison to the tune of 11-1 in five innings in the opening game of a doubleheader before earning the winner-take-all victory, 15-7, in Game 2.
Hits were coming in spades Friday as the Panthers racked up an incredible 32 base hits over the course of the two games.
“We’re playing really well right now,” ECHS coach Michael Dismukes said. “We’ve been consistent throughout the lineup and at the plate, and that really showed up this past weekend.”
In Game 1, Shea Darnell, Austin Davis, Dallin Simpson and Carson Saucier all had two hits apiece, while all but two Panthers recorded at least a single in the game.
Elmore County also used its speed to its advantage, recording six stolen bases including four from Darnell alone.
Jaden Eason threw the entire first game, giving up just two hits and one run in the five-inning victory. He struck out nine batters.
Game 2 was more of the same offensively. This time, Hayden Jones led the way with a staggering four hits. Evan Spence and Darnell each recorded two doubles and a single, and Eason also racked up three hits. Every Panther in the hitting lineup recorded at least one single.
Elmore County now turns its sights to UMS-Wright, which hosts the Panthers in Round 2 starting Friday. The doubleheader begins at 4 p.m. with an if-necessary game scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
“They’re really good,” Dismukes said. “It’s a hard place to go down and play there, so that’ll be a challenge for us. But we’ve just got to keep playing winning baseball. We’ve done that for the last two weeks so if we continue to do that, I think we’re going to be fine.”
UMS-Wright is typically a very disciplined team, Dismukes said, so it’s going to be important for the Panthers to continue to have strong at-bats.
“The biggest thing is they’ve got some arms that are going to throw strikes,” Dismukes said. “They compete, and they’re really good defensively. So they’re not gonna beat themselves. We’re going to have to really concentrate on having good at-bats and string together some hits. Our pitchers have to show up and throw strikes and pound the zone and let the defense work.”
As far as pitching goes, Dismukes said he has not decided the order of the lineup just yet but he leans toward going the same route as he did in last week’s series.
But if the Panthers can keep up the hitting pace of an average of 2.9 hits per inning — like they did against Jemison — they’re going to be difficult to stop.
“If we continue to hit throughout the lineup and put more pressure on the defense, I think that will give us an advantage,” Dismukes said. “Hopefully we’ll stay hot and play really well. If we do that, I think we’ll be OK.”