Brookhaven wins AA crownSouthern Sports & Travel, By Darron Thomas
It was the second week in March and the Brookhaven Cougars had just gotten 10-run ruled by Parklane to fall to 2-4. Following that humiliating loss the Cougar baseball team gathered at the school and met for about an hour in what senior Tripp Jolly described as “a come to Jesus meeting.” That meeting was the start of a new season for Brookhaven, one in which the Cougars won 27 of 31 games and that culminated last night with a 4-1 win over second ranked Hillcrest for their first baseball state championship since 1984.
Senior ace Austin Hartzog, coming off a two hit complete game shut out performance over Simpson last week, was to be the ticket to get Hillcrest to a deciding game three last night but Brookhaven combined clutch hitting, stellar fielding and a phenomenal pitching effort from senior Tripp Jolly to win the series 2-0.
It was the second week in March and the Brookhaven Cougars had just gotten 10-run ruled by Parklane to fall to 2-4. Following that humiliating loss the Cougar baseball team gathered at the school and met for about an hour in what senior Tripp Jolly described as “a come to Jesus meeting.” That meeting was the start of a new season for Brookhaven, one in which the Cougars won 27 of 31 games and that culminated last night with a 4-1 win over second ranked Hillcrest for their first baseball state championship since 1984.
Senior ace Austin Hartzog, coming off a two hit complete game shut out performance over Simpson last week, was to be the ticket to get Hillcrest to a deciding game three last night but Brookhaven combined clutch hitting, stellar fielding and a phenomenal pitching effort from senior Tripp Jolly to win the series 2-0.
(Above) Brookhaven senior Brent Henderson delivers a two run home runBrookhaven got on the board first in their half of the 1st inning when Will Gatlin’s one out single to right field scored Bubba Keene from second base.
Hillcrest tied the contest at 1-1 in the top of the 2nd inning on a James Adams home run over the right field wall. Hillcrest escaped disaster in the bottom of the inning after Hartzog walked Brent Henderson to load the bases with one out. Bubba Keene hit a hard liner back to Hartzog who doubled up Henderson at first base to close out the Brookhaven threat.
In the bottom of the 4th inning Brookhaven took advantage of two Austin Hartzog walks as Bubba Keene delivered a two out single to center field to score Donovan Lorraine to put Brookhaven up 2-1.
Hillcrest couldn’t crack Brookhaven pitcher Tripp Jolly who was in the midst of retiring 10 of 1
1 batters until a TJ Knowles infield hit with two out in the top of the 6th inning. Justin Smith then nailed a 2-1 pitch to right field for a single that moved Knowles into scoring position at 3rd base but Hillcrest couldn’t capitalize as Caleb Baucum’s fly out to right field ended the threat.Austin Hartzog gave way to Baucum in the bottom of the inning after going five full innings. Brookhaven’s Donovan Lorraine drew a lead off walk and advanced to 2nd base on a sacrifice bunt from Will Lucas which brought up senior Brent Henderson. Henderson delivered with a two run homer over the right field wall to increase the Brookhaven lead to 4-1. (Photo above) Brent Henderson is greeted at home plate after hitting a homer
Hillcrest would send only three batters to the plate in the top of the 7th inning. Thomas Woodruff would hit into a double play to end the game as Brookhaven players and coaches rushed the mound to begin the celebration.
Tripp Jolly (photo right) earned the win to finish his senior season with an 8-2 mark. Jolly gave up 1 run on 5 hits, struck out 8 and walked just one batter.
Sophomore Bubba Keene had two singles and Will Gatlin, Tyler Parvin and Donovan Lorraine each had a single to go along with Brent Henderson’s homer.
For Hillcrest Josh Rogers collected two singles and had two stolen bases. TJ Knowles and Justin Smith had singles and James Adams had a homer.
Austin Hartzog of Hillcrest took the loss to finish his senior season at 9-2. Hartzog went five innings giving up 4 hits, 2 runs and striking out 3.
For Brookhaven not only did they win a baseball state championship but they become the first AA school to win state titles in all three major sports in one season. The Cougars finished the season at 29-8 overall under first year coach Casey Edwards.
Hillcrest ends their season at 23-11.
(Above) Josh Rogers of Hillcrest gets thrown out by Brookhaven catcher Landon Nettles at 2nd base in the 3rd inning .
Post game comments:
Brookhaven head coach Casey Edwards
*What turned the season around after a slow start?
“We realized we could be a good team but after a 2-4 start we weren’t very good. We decided we had to work hard and the kids finally started believing they had to work harder because nothing was going to be handed to us. It’s all about them; they came out everyday and worked hard. I don’t recall a bad practice all year. The energy and effort was here everyday. The things that I brought in as a coach was nothing new but they bought into it. Hats off to my guys."
*Pitching
“Jolly and McCollough pitched their best two games in this series after pitching their two worst games against Central Private and Centreville in rounds two and three. We couldn’t have asked for anything more from those two guys. The effort Tyler Parvin gave us in pitching back to back games the same day against Centreville last week was tremendous.”
*Defensive play
“Defensively we basically took a break to rest some guys. We would get in a few reps during the day but not a lot. I’ve never coached a team that looked so bad in warm-ups and in pre-game and then turnaround and look so good in the game. Tonight both Brent Henderson and Bubba Keene made some great outs. They’re both tremendous athletes and there has never been any doubt that they were capable of making those type plays.”
*Pregame
“Today when I walked into the locker room I didn’t like the mood I saw. It seemed non-energetic, not a lay down and quit mood but it wasn’t a real fiery mood either. I then realized when the game got started that it was a focus and a confident mood.”
*Hitting
“Our guys remembered what he (Hartzog) did to us earlier in the season pitching a no hitter so tonight we won a little revenge. We believe we can hit good pitching. O’Bryant of Central Private was good in round two and Centreville’s Cliff Hurst was good in round three.”
Brookhaven senior Will Gatlin (photo right)
“It’s been a Cinderella year. Most kids don’t have a senior year like this. You start off in Pee Wee and Little League and you dream of winning a state championship in at least one sport, now I have two. It’s a surreal feeling.”
Brookhaven senior Tripp Jolly
“I was pretty anxious before the game but not nervous. After the first inning got going I started to get in a groove and felt pretty good. I didn’t know the game was over with at the end because of the confusion with the fly ball but then I heard the umpire say that’s the game. It feels awesome to have two rings.”
Brookhaven senior Tyler Parvin (photo right)
“It felt good knowing we had to come into today and just win one game, it kind of took the pressure off of us a little. We’re overjoyed to win a state championship.”
Brookhaven sophomore Bubba Keene
“I feel good right now, we did it in football and basketball and I was hoping we could do it in baseball and we pulled it out with our pitching and senior leadership. We really came together as a team earlier in the year. It’s been crazy, it can’t get any better.”
Post game comments:
Brookhaven head coach Casey Edwards
*What turned the season around after a slow start?
“We realized we could be a good team but after a 2-4 start we weren’t very good. We decided we had to work hard and the kids finally started believing they had to work harder because nothing was going to be handed to us. It’s all about them; they came out everyday and worked hard. I don’t recall a bad practice all year. The energy and effort was here everyday. The things that I brought in as a coach was nothing new but they bought into it. Hats off to my guys."
*Pitching
“Jolly and McCollough pitched their best two games in this series after pitching their two worst games against Central Private and Centreville in rounds two and three. We couldn’t have asked for anything more from those two guys. The effort Tyler Parvin gave us in pitching back to back games the same day against Centreville last week was tremendous.”
*Defensive play
“Defensively we basically took a break to rest some guys. We would get in a few reps during the day but not a lot. I’ve never coached a team that looked so bad in warm-ups and in pre-game and then turnaround and look so good in the game. Tonight both Brent Henderson and Bubba Keene made some great outs. They’re both tremendous athletes and there has never been any doubt that they were capable of making those type plays.”
*Pregame
“Today when I walked into the locker room I didn’t like the mood I saw. It seemed non-energetic, not a lay down and quit mood but it wasn’t a real fiery mood either. I then realized when the game got started that it was a focus and a confident mood.”
*Hitting
“Our guys remembered what he (Hartzog) did to us earlier in the season pitching a no hitter so tonight we won a little revenge. We believe we can hit good pitching. O’Bryant of Central Private was good in round two and Centreville’s Cliff Hurst was good in round three.”
Brookhaven senior Will Gatlin (photo right)
“It’s been a Cinderella year. Most kids don’t have a senior year like this. You start off in Pee Wee and Little League and you dream of winning a state championship in at least one sport, now I have two. It’s a surreal feeling.”
Brookhaven senior Tripp Jolly
“I was pretty anxious before the game but not nervous. After the first inning got going I started to get in a groove and felt pretty good. I didn’t know the game was over with at the end because of the confusion with the fly ball but then I heard the umpire say that’s the game. It feels awesome to have two rings.”
Brookhaven senior Tyler Parvin (photo right)
“It felt good knowing we had to come into today and just win one game, it kind of took the pressure off of us a little. We’re overjoyed to win a state championship.”
Brookhaven sophomore Bubba Keene
“I feel good right now, we did it in football and basketball and I was hoping we could do it in baseball and we pulled it out with our pitching and senior leadership. We really came together as a team earlier in the year. It’s been crazy, it can’t get any better.”
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Photos from last night's game are at
