Gary Ayers
Ayers5313@bellsouth.net
The Maroon Devil baseball team ran into a hard-throwing southpaw in the second round of the NCHSAA 1-A playoffs at #4 seed Jimmy C. Draughn High School baseball team Friday night and ended Swain's nine-game winning streak with a 7-0 loss for the Devils.
Wildcat left-hander Tate Jensen, a 6'-2' junior, pitched the complete game shutout limiting the strong-hitting Maroon Devils to one hit while striking out 13 batters and giving up only two walks.
Bradyn Ruais produced Swain's only hit of the night in the top of the first inning but was left on base as Rowan Ellis and Lawson Woodard hit fly balls to right field and Carter Hayes hit a deep shot to center field that was caught to end Swain’s scoring attempt.
The Wildcats wasted no time getting on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning as a slow rolling infield single got them on base followed by a single into right center-field. A double into left field by Jacob Mull and a couple of Maroon Devil throwing miscues allowed Draughn to take a 2-0 lead before starter Ruais struck out two Wildcats to end the inning.
Three consecutive walks in the bottom of the second inning provided Draughn with a 3-0 lead as Jensen struck out six straight Devils in the second and third innings. Swain got two on base in the top of the fourth inning as Jensen issued back-to-back walks to Ruais and Hayes but both were left on base. A great catch at shortstop by Woodard and a pop up to first base had Draughn with two outs in the bottom of the fourth but a bases-loaded walk with a 3-2 count followed by a Wildcat double and an infield single put the Wildcats up to their final margin of 7-0. Grady Lewis came on in relief in the bottom of the fifth to finish the game for the Devils.
It was a tough night as Swain issued nine walks against five strike-outs as Draughn got eight hits, seven singles and one double, to advance to the third round of the state playoffs.
“Tough game for us for sure,” said Head Coach Mike Varano after the game. “We faced an outstanding team who were coached very well. We had an uncharacteristic night for sure. Couldn't get anything going when we needed to. These types of games are going to happen. We just happened to have one of them in a win or go home situation. Draughn did an outstanding job of creating chances and converting them when they needed to. Hats off to those guys.”
He said the team showed positive growth throughout the season.
“This season has had a lot of ups and downs for sure. I personally think we had more ups, which is a positive thing for our program,” Verano said. “Once we found that compete factor we were looking for, we became the type of ball team that had the confidence that we could get the job done. No matter what was going on, we believed we were never out of the fight. At the end of the day, that is what matters. How you handle adversity in life reveals the type of character you have. This serves as a great foundation moving forward. That is what I am most impressed with this season.”