Putnam County ended its regular season on a strong note, winning four straight games heading into the state playoffs.
The War Eagles (11-15) swept McNair to conclude region play and then upset Class 4A’s Locust Grove.
Putnam County’s victory over powerhouse Locust Grove last week was a highlight for both the players and head coach Stephen Phillips, who won a state championship with the Mustangs in 2016.
Phillips said he wanted to see how his players competed against Locust Grove, stating the game was a huge test.
“I really didn’t care about the win as much as I did us competing,” Phillips said. “I really felt like we competed at a high level, which gave a lot of confidence going into the playoffs. Regardless of the opponent, as long as we compete and do what we can control, then we always have an opportunity to win.”
It was a high-scoring affair for the first few innings.
Putnam County scored three runs in the top of the first, but Locust Grove responded with four in the bottom half of the inning. The Mustangs added one more in the second, extending their lead to 5-3 over the War Eagles.
Phillips said he was pleased with how his players responded to adversity.
“We had an error and a few walks, so I challenged them after the first inning to respond, and they did,” he said.
A grand slam by Ethan Whatley with two outs in the top of the third frame gave the lead back to Putnam County. The War Eagles led Locust Grove 7-5 after the junior slugger smashed the ball over the right field fence.
Locust Grove tied the game up at 7-7 by scoring two runs off pitcher Gates Lanzarone in the bottom of the fourth inning. However, Putnam County didn’t panic and reassumed the lead in the top of the sixth, never trailing again.
Wyatt Johnston grounded into a fielder’s choice, bringing in Branan Griffin to put the War Eagles back on top.
Johnston then asserted himself on the mound, preserving the lead by shutting down Locust Grove to secure the win. The junior left-hander retired three of four in the sixth inning and pitched his way out of a jam in the seventh.
Putnam County totaled 10 hits in the win. Whatley, Tanner Lukens, and Jackson Dodd led the way with two apiece.
Lanzarone pitched four innings, surrendering seven runs on two hits with seven walks and three strikeouts. The defense also struggled, committing four errors, yet the War Eagles were able to overcome those mistakes.
Johnston allowed only two hits and also struck out two with only one walk in three innings pitched.
Phillips has seen his players battle adversity a lot his season, and said he was glad they didn’t fold after trailing early. He stated the game against Locust Grove was a good “measuring stick” heading into the playoffs this week.
“We used the last 25 ball games to learn and grow, or to see if we would revert to where we were before, which was packing it in and quitting when we faced adversity,” Phillips said. “The kids dug in and started competing.”
The upset win over Locust Grove also served as a “confidence boost” heading into the playoffs, which begin this Friday at Washington County.
Putnam County is the No. 25 seed, while the Golden Hawks hold the No. 8 slot.
Phillips said he’s excited to see if his team can make a deep run in the playoffs.
“They want to win and want to compete,” he said. “That’s where you’ve got to start if you want to make a run.”