Putnam County’s baseball team picked up a key region series win last week, taking two of three games from Jasper County.
The War Eagles (11-9, 6-3) handed the Hurricanes their first two region losses of the season and strengthened their position in the standings.
Putnam County head coach Stephen Phillips said his team came in focused, knowing the importance of the matchup against one of the region’s top teams.
“It was a big series for us,” Phillips said. “In order for us to try to compete for the one or two spot in the region, we knew that we had to go in and play well. We knew that Jasper’s a good team and they’re coached well.”
That focus showed in the opener, as the War Eagles stayed composed throughout. They opened the series with a 7-4 win on March 31, behind a strong outing from Ethan Whatley on the mound and a steady offensive approach.
Whatley pitched five innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits while striking out six and walking four.
“I think the guys were just locked in,” Phillips said. “Ethan (Whatley) gave us a great outing on the mound that kept us in it, and we just plugged away, got a few runs, and kept the lead.”
Whatley, Branan Griffin, Gates Lanzarone, and Parker Thomas combined for eight of the team’s 11 hits in the win.
Game two, played April 3 as part of a doubleheader, shifted momentum. Despite a strong start from Lanzarone, who allowed just two hits through four innings, Putnam County struggled in an 8-3 loss.
“Gates threw a really good game,” Phillips said. “Just giving up two hits through four innings, but unfortunately, we didn’t play very good defense behind him. We found ourselves having to battle back and try to get back in it against a good team.”
With the series on the line in game three, the War Eagles were tested early, falling behind 6-1. Instead of folding, Putnam County responded with one of its most resilient performances of the season, rallying for a 13-7 win to secure the series.
Tied 6-6 entering the sixth inning, the War Eagles’ offense exploded for seven runs. Whatley, Griffin, Lanzarone, and Jackson Dodd all turned in strong performances at the plate.
Dodd, who relieved Wade Johnston, was nearly flawless over the final three innings.
“That’s the biggest difference between this year’s team and last year’s team,” Phillips said. “If we’d have gotten behind 6-1 early last year, I really felt like the wheels were fixing to come off and the result was not going to be what we wanted it to be. However, these guys showed in game three that this year’s different.”
Phillips credited his team’s growth, belief, and buy-in for the comeback effort.
“They’ve grown, and they’ve bought into what we’re doing, and they believe in themselves, and they believe in me,” he said. “That showed in game three when they continued to battle, didn’t give up, and next thing you know, we took the lead and eventually took the series.”
The War Eagles now turn their attention to another pivotal region series against Lamar County, where Phillips expects a challenge, particularly from the Trojans’ pitching staff.
“Lamar’s got some pretty good arms,” he said. “That’s really going to challenge us at the plate. We’re going to have to go to the plate every at-bat with a plan, try to execute that plan, and hopefully find some mistakes along the way that we can capitalize on.”
With the region race tightening, Putnam County’s response under pressure against Jasper County could prove to be a defining moment as the postseason approaches.