SPORTS EDITOR BLOG —Water Valley’s great run through the MHSAA’s Class 3A playoffs came to an end Thursday afternoon with an 11-1 loss to Sumrall in the 3A title game at Trustmark Park in Pearl.
Thursday’s win over the Blue Devils capped another extremely successful season for the nationally-ranked Bobcats, who won their third straight title and finished 35-1 overall.
Water Valley, which won its second 3A North Half title under the direction of coach Doug Robbins to meet Sumrall in Pearl, finished the year with a 22-9 mark.
Sumrall never trailed in Thursday’s contest as it scored two runs in the second, one in the second, one in the third and then capped things with a seven-run fourth inning. The Bobcats collected nine hits in the frame against WVHS starter Josh Johnson (8-4). Sumrall finished the game with 14 hits overall with only two going for extra base hits. Chad Guice led Sumrall with three hits and three RBIs in the game, while Connor Barron tied Guice with the team lead in RBIs with three.
“It’s not what we didn’t do, it’s what they did. We did not come down here and play two bad baseball games. We played a cleaner game today and we were much sharper today, but in the end, they just kept coming,” Robbins said of the Bobcats. “That’s by far the best 3A team I’ve ever seen and I told (Sumrall coach Larry Knight) that he could jump in this series (6A) and be very competitive. Sumrall’s lineup is as good as any lineup that’s here.”
Water Valley’s lone run came in the fourth inning against Sumrall starter Jackson Posey (12-0) when Shanquayle Jenkins scored Drew Pratt with a single through the left side of the infield. (May 27, 2010)
