Tift County Blue Devils win Region 1-6A baseball championship

Apr. 12—TIFTON — Will Pridgen caught his man looking on strike three Friday night and Tift County did it. The Blue Devils won the Region 1-6A title with a doubleheader sweep over Veterans.

A split-second of the final out being called, Tift County players dog-piled the mound as Queen's "We Are the Champions" played over the speakers. Within a minute, a banner came from the dugout and head coach Greg Williams was soaked in sports drink.

"Up and down the lineup," said Williams, everybody contributed to the title.

"I give all the credit, not only to the kids, but I've got the best staff," he said. "I have the best coaching staff you can ask for. Those guys, the hours that they put in, they do a tremendous job and they are committed. Great unit."

It was a hard-earned title, their first since 2015 and only their second since 1990. Earlier in the week, the moment wasn't impossible, but might have felt like it. The Blue Devils and Houston County were tied in region record, but the Bears had the advantage because of the series win. By some miracle, Lee County pulled off an 8-2 win Tuesday, giving Tift a game advantage.

The easiest path to the title was to win both games Friday and the Devils left no doubt.

John Davis started the day with a two-hit 10-0 win that ended in five innings. Veterans struck first in the nightcap with two runs in the 2nd, but were matched in the bottom half by Tyler Holmes' two-run blast. Tyler VanSumeren, Landon Parrish and Pridgen allowed no hits over the final four innings for the 7-2 final.

Earlier Friday, Holmes told his mother, April, that he felt he could hit a home run.

Holmes only had one in his high school career, coming two years ago. Friday, he had two in game two, both crushed to right field.

With one down and Mac Brooks standing on third, Holmes' first bomb tied the score, giving Tift new life after Veterans had gone ahead 2-0.

One frame later, it was something they specialized in all day, two-out magic. Davis was clipped on the heel by a Warhawks pitch, then moved into scoring position on a single to right by VanSumeren.

With Brooks at the dish, Davis led a double steal, which saw the throw get by third base. Davis got up and sprinted home for a 3-2 lead.

VanSumeren struck out the side swinging in the 4th. Now, the Devils needed to get a little breathing room.

Tift fans didn't have to wait.

Holmes delivered another long ball to right. Now they were on fire. Drew Hembree doubled on a ball that dropped in, coming around on a Luke Ellerbee bloop. Following a wild pitch, Brady Moretz hit a rope up the middle for another double.

Staked to a four-run lead, VanSumeren escaped mild danger in the 5th before Williams turned the game over to the bullpen. Parrish struck out the side in the 6th.

"He shut them down," Williams said.

One more insurance run crossed in the bottom half. Hembree struck out on a pitch in that skipped, easily making first. Two more wild pitches put him at third, where Parrish knocked him in on a high infield chopper.

Parrish was going to pitch the 7th, but suffered a hamstring cramp. Pridgen began with a sliding catch by Davis in center, then fanned his last two men to clinch the title.

TIFT 10, VETERANS 0

Whereas the Blue Devils had to come back in the second game, they were under much less pressure in the opener.

Davis, who only allowed one earned run over 31 region innings pitched, was in command from the get-go. Veterans was held without a hit until the 4th and had four baserunners total, three coming in one frame.

Tift scored a single run in the 1st and 2nd, then added two in the 4th.

Parrish came around in the 1st, on a hit up the middle by VanSumeren. In the 2nd, it was Hembree, singling over short with two down, then scooting home after on a pitch that got away after the Devils worked the bases loaded.

Cam Smith doubled with two down in the 3rd, bringing home VanSumeren. Ty Dorden, courtesy running for Smith, was another two-out run on a Holmes double.

Davis ran into trouble in the 4th, the bags filling with a walk and two singles with one out. The latter went to deep right, but the Warhawks opted to hold the runner. Davis got a strikeout then Ellerbee made a diving catch to end the jam.

Parrish unloaded on a two-run homer in the 4th that traveled Ronald Acuña Jr. distance. Moretz had been on first after a single.

One inning later, the Blue Devils got hot at the plate again with two outs.

Smith singled to lead off, but Dorden had to wait until an Ellerbee double to right to score. Moretz almost had a two-run jack, but had to settle for a triple off the batter's eye. Parrish drove him in with a single to make it 9-0, then stood at third after wild pitches.

After those wild pitches, Veterans took the bat out of Davis' hands, but VanSumeren didn't even have to swing the bat, another wild pitch scoring Parrish to end the game on the mercy rule.

Every Blue Devil had a hit in the doubleheader. Parrish had four, with Moretz, Smith and Holmes at three each. Hembree and Parrish scored three times and Parrish and Holmes had four RBIs apiece.

Davis struck out seven and walked two. VanSumeren fanned eight, Parrish, three, and Pridgen, two.

Both wins were necessary Friday for Tift to raise the flag as Houston won both from Lee.

The first game saw Lee close to 4-3 with the bases loaded and one out, but the Bears turned a double play. Houston two-hit the Trojans in the other game, winning 4-0.

Houston County will be Region 1's No. 2 team. Thomas County Central will be the No. 3 after outscoring Northside in a Friday sweep, 43-2. Lee County is the No. 4.