Photo: Sardis first baseman Logan Gaskin tags out a Rogers baserunner during the Lions’ series sweep in the first round of the Class 4A state baseball playoffs last Friday (Apr. 20) in Sardis City. (Mike Goodson/Messenger)
By Mike Goodson/Sports Correspondent
Sardis High used strong pitching performances and clutch hitting to sweep Rogers in the opening round of the Class 4A state playoffs on Friday, Aug. 20, in Sardis City.
The Lions used outstanding starting pitching to beat the Pirates, 7-1, in the opener and posted a 3-1 victory in the nightcap.
Sardis (15-14) travels to West Limestone this Friday, Aug. 27, in a second-round series. Rogers ended its season at 17-16.
In the opener, Rogers scored an early run off of Sardis starter Blake Wright on a hit and an error to go up 1-0 in the top of the first inning. Wright then settled down, allowing only one hit over the next six innings.
The Lions got their bats going in the second, and out-hitting Rogers 12 to 2. Sardis scored three runs on three hits in the inning and put across another three runs in the third on six hits to take a 6-1 lead.
The hosts tacked on a run in the fourth for the six-run margin of victory.
Braxton Brooks, Logan Gaskin and Trey Hubbard each had two hits for the Lions, while Wright, Kale Walker, Jake Ross, Luke Morris, Dax Lee and Tyler Goosby each had one.
Sardis continued its strong pitching in the second game, as Brodie Samples allowed only one hit and one unearned run in five strong innings.
The Lion bats were also quiet over the first four innings, but Sardis finally got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth. Goosby was hit by a pitch and was sacrificed to second by Brooks. Goosby then scored on a line drive single by Walker for a 1-0 lead.
Rogers tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Rim Bradley scored on a wild pitch, but Sardis took the lead for good in the top of the seventh when Wright lined a two-out single to plate Brooks and Ross.
Preston Morris earned the win with two innings of relief work.
“We got a strong performance from (Brodie) Samples tonight,” said Sardis head coach Kevin Vinson. “He’s is an eighth grader and came in and threw strikes. Wright is a senior and he stepped up and got a big hit for us.”