Etowah downs UMS-Wright, wins 4A state baseball title

The Etowah baseball team had only one thing on its mind following last year’s loss to Mobile Christian in the Class 4A state baseball finals.

“Revenge tour,” senior Caleb Freeman said. “That was our only goal.”

Mission accomplished.

Freeman pitched a complete game Wednesday night as the Blue Devils rallied from an early deficit to beat UMS-Wright 5-1 at Jacksonville State’s Jim Case Stadium, sweeping the best-of-three finals and winning the school’s first state title since 1996.

“Going through that loss last year made us work even harder,” said Game 1 starter and series MVP Jameson Scissum. “It made us get to the weight room at 6 and kept up us practicing until 8 at night. It brought us closer together. We faced adversity all year, and we showed the ability to overcome it.”

Etowah (30-11) beat UMS 6-1 on Tuesday night behind Scissum but trailed 1-0 entering the fourth inning on Wednesday and was in jeopardy of falling further behind. The Bulldogs (27-14) loaded the bases with just one out on singles by Will Colvin and Parker Barraza and a walk to Ty Waters. However, John Ramsay struck out swinging and Colvin was thrown out at home trying to score on the third strike to Ramsay, which briefly escaped the catcher.

“Sometimes people laugh at me, but I believe in the baseball gods of the world,” UMS-Wright coach Kevin Raley said. “I think when you don’t cash in on an opportunity like that, you are bound to give up a run or two in the next inning. We had an opportunity and unfortunately didn’t score there. The made a play. You tip your hat to them, but it was a turning point in the game for sure.”

Indeed, Etowah did turn the game around in the bottom half of the inning. The Blue Devils tied the game on Briggs Freeman’s sacrifice fly to second base – yes, second base – and took the lead for good on pinch-hitter Conner Dingler’s two-run single up the middle. They led 3-1 after four innings and tacked on single runs in the fifth and sixth.

“Nothing was really said at that point,” Etowah coach Blake Bone said of his team’s approach in the fifth inning. “That has just been our mindset all year. We know adversity will come. We just want to run through it. I don’t think these guys ever felt pressure. We just keep grinding and expecting good things will happen for us.”

UMS-Wright didn’t threaten again after the missed opportunity in the fourth. Freeman retired six of the final seven batters in the sixth and seven innings. He scattered seven hits and allowed just the one run. He struck out six and walked four.

“Both of their pitchers were outstanding,” Raley said. “The lefty (Freeman) walked a few guys and got into some trouble, but when he had to make a pitch, he made it. His breaking ball was better than we had heard. He’s a heck of a competitor. The kid last night (Scissum) was a competitor as well. You could see the emotion in him. He made big pitch after big pitch. We knew it was going to be that way coming into the series. We came in thinking we need to try to win 2-1, 3-2 type games.”

Etowah won state titles in 1985 and 1987 in addition to 1996.

“It’s so tough just to get here,” Bone said. “I’ve been doing this a long time. To get here in back-to-back years is extremely tough. I’ve been doing this 17 years and just couldn’t get over the hump, couldn’t get over the hump. I can’t express how special it is. It is very gratifying.”

UMS was trying to win its 11th state title. The Bulldogs last won in 2017.

Key stats: Etowah – Hunter Humphries and Andrew Pierce each had two hits. Scissum was 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI. UMS – Barraza was 2-for-2 with an RBI. Starter Alex Sherman took the loss, giving up four runs on six hits in four innings. Olin Ward and Andy Purvis pitched an inning each.

They said it:

“We had the vision two years ago to win a state championship. It was the ultimate goal. The kids bought in from Day 1. It was work, work, work, and hard work paid off for these guys. They never complained. Well not much anyway. We demand a lot of them. I feel like they deserve this.” – Bone.

“It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had. Me and Briggs have been through it all. He’s been my catcher forever. I wish everyone could feel this.” – Caleb Freeman on winning the state title with his twin brother, Briggs.

“Obviously, it is not how we wanted to finish, but to have this opportunity and see where we’ve come as a team is amazing. Being around these 10 seniors in my 35th year has been a great experience. I’m already looking forward to next year.” – Raley.