EVANS - Many observers of the GHSA state playoff brackets likely looked at the first-round AAAAA series between Greenbrier and Jones County and wrote the fourth-seeded Greyhounds off against region champion Wolfpack.
But the Greyhounds, also uncompetitive in their previous two first-round state playoff losses in which they lost by combined scores of 49-9, put fear into the hearts of Greenbrier on Monday afternoon, giving the Wolfpack all that they could handle and then some, dropping the first game 1-0 and the second 6-4 after leading 4-1 through three innings. The Wolfpack swept the best-of-three series with the two victories.
“I don't think anybody on their side of the field expected what we brought them,” Greyhounds head coach Mike Paulk said. “We gave them everything they wanted, and I could not be prouder of the guys we have rode with this year.”
JCHS dropped the first game despite outhitting the Wolfpack 6-3, giving up just a run with Dawson Harris on the mound.
In some cases, a home favorite will come out and overwhelm a road underdog in the second game of a postseason doubleheader. The Greyhounds were immune to that as Brody Gordon took the hill.
Despite trailing 1-0 after half an inning, the Greyhounds evened things up after Colin Evans walked, took second on a Marlin Mills single before scoring on a Tucker Maddox single, tying it 1-1.
The Greyhounds big inning without question came in the third as Jones County cashed in on a leadoff baserunner. After a Mills single and Harris double, Griffin Maki's groundout plated Mills. Then, after a walk to Maddox put runners at the corners, Davis Upshaw ripped a two-run single, moving the Greyhounds ahead 4-1.
The lead as well as the momentum didn't last as key hits and untimely breaks helped Greenbrier come back in the top of the fourth. With the bases loaded, a balk trimmed the Greyhounds lead to 4-2. Then, after a grounder took a wild hop, scoring another run, the ensuing baserunner was awarded home as an errant throw was ruled to have gone in the Wolfpack dugout, tying the score.
It also juiced up the Wolfpack crowd that grew more boisterous. But it was hardly a shock to the Greyhounds, hardened by their tough non-region schedule during the early part of the season and on spring break.
“The spring break trip and the teams we played early, that really developed a certain resilience,” Paulk said. “I think the difference for us was the gauntlet that we ran at beginning of the year. We played tough teams and faced tough pitchers and faced tough staffs.”
Gordon continued to bear down, as the Wolfpack managed to scratch the game-winning run across after a double was followed by an error.
Gordon, one of the Greyhounds handful of seniors, gave up five runs on six hits, leaving with an out in the seventh as reliever Bo Mansfield finished the inning, allowing an inherited runner to score the Wolfpack's sixth and final run.
Though down, Jones County did not relent, getting a runner aboard in both the sixth and seventh but not being unable to score, ending their season.
As the year ends for the Greyhounds, a majority of their roster is on track to return next year, carrying with them the experience of knowing that they can hang with one of the state's top baseball programs.
“It was a baptism by fire. Would I have preferred a different result? Yes. We played the best we could,” Paulk said. “Losing 1-0 and 6-4 is nothing to hang your head about. We played some of the best baseball outside of the score that we have played all year.”
