GREENSBORO — A 13-inning affair on Friday night has Watauga in the third round of the NCHSAA baseball playoffs for the first time in more than a decade.
The Pioneers battled back late and prevailed for a 5-1 win over Southeast Guilford at Coach Callahan Field in a contest that took more than four hours to complete.
Friday’s win in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 6A playoffs sets up a fourth meeting between Watauga, now 17-10 on the season, and Northwestern 6A/7A Conference foe Alexander Central on Tuesday.
Watauga previously made the third round twice in the past 15 years — in 2015 and 2011.
The Cougars, who won the first three meetings (including a 5-3 decision in the NWC tournament), advanced with a 12-5 win against Scotland County.
First pitch from Bob Gryder Stadium is set for 7 p.m.
“I told the boys to come ready to practice on Monday, but man, they need to be able to enjoy this one, because it’s a special game,” said Watauga head baseball coach Sean Burroughs. “The energy level we had in the dugout was awesome, just a lot of fun and a memory that they’re going to be able to take with them forever, which is what makes me happy. That’s what makes me excited; we can remember it until Monday, and then we’ve got to get busy for Alexander on Tuesday.”
Clutch performances were all over the place from several unlikely and likely sources.
Two players, Bryce Scheffler and Eli Bishop, played key roles in the very late innings for ninth-seeded Watauga.
After the Pioneers tied the game at one in the top of the sixth, neither team could push across a run to advance over the next six innings.
Scheffler, a sophomore, came on in a tight spot in the bottom of the 12th after reliever Evan Burroughs ran into trouble.
Carter Reddick (single) and Aaron Henderson (walk) reached base with two outs before Scheffler shut the door, striking out Levi Martin to end the threat.
Just a few minutes before midnight, Watauga baseball players celebrate its win in the second round of the NCHSAA 6A playoffs on Friday night. It’s the first trip to the third round since 2015 and the third time since 2011.
Photo courtesy of WHS Pioneer Booster Club
“It feels great to come up big; I was ready all game, and finally got the opportunity — I was glad I could execute,” said Scheffler.
Watauga put itself in great shape in the top of the 13th with lead off singles from Chase Gillin and Burroughs. A groundout from J.J. Everett moved both players into scoring position.
After the No. 8 Falcons intentionally put Jake Blanton on to load the bases, Scheffler came to the plate.
The righty hadn’t had a plate appearance in nearly a month and had only gotten on base twice in 15 previous at-bats during the regular season. But Scheffler drew a walk to score courtesy runner Brandon Vest and take the lead.
Bishop was up next and doubled to left field, plating two more runs and taking a 4-1 lead. Everett Gryder plated courtesy runner Miller Hankins with an RBI sacrifice fly to increase the lead to four.
Bishop started at third base on Friday in the absence of Cade Keller, who missed the game with an illness; the senior made the most of the opportunity as he went a game-best 3-for-6 at the plate — one of five Pioneers to finish with multiple hits.
“I was prepared for the opportunity that I was given, and I wanted to do what was best for the team, and give my team the best chance to get a big win here, so it was really exciting,” said Bishop. “It’s my last year, and I want to make the most of it.”
With the lead, Scheffler worked around a one-out single from Aiden Simmons to retire the side in the bottom of the 13th to pick up the win.
Scheffler’s performance punctuated a fantastic night on the mound for Watauga, which allowed just six hits and struck out 14 while allowing no earned runs in 13 innings of work between himself, Burroughs and Daniel Jones.
“Pitching was dominant between Daniel, Evan, and Bryce. Daniel maxed out on pitches, and Evan threw more pitches than he’s ever thrown in his life, and Bryce came in and shut the door, so just amazing to give up six hits and one run through 13 innings,” said Sean Burroughs. “Pitching was great, our defense was solid, but we left too many men on base (Watauga stranded 17 runners while the Falcons stranded 12). Should have ended this a lot sooner, but they did what they needed to do.”
Jones pitched an absolute gem before leaving the mound in the bottom of the eighth after the junior reached the NCHSAA-mandated pitch count limit.
The junior struck out six and walked one while allowing four hits in 7 2/3 innings of work.
Evan Burroughs came on and struck out seven while working around four walks and a hit in four scoreless innings.
“That’s probably the highest pitch count I’ve ever had, for sure, but I felt really good. I just came out here and was wanting to compete; really wanted to win this game, because we wanted to see AC (Alexander Central) on Tuesday,” said Jones, who was pulled in the top of the eighth after throwing 108 pitches.
Watauga more than doubled the Falcons’ hit output (13-6), but it was the hosts who got on the board, in a very odd sequence of events, in the bottom of the fifth.
Reddick, who took the loss despite tossing five innings of relief, connected on a one-out double to right field.
As courtesy runner Jayden Graves attempted to score from first base, Everett made a strong throw to second baseman Easton Burns. The freshman then threw home to Gillin, who applied the tag to Graves for the second out.
The ensuing throw to third base, in an attempt to get Reddick out, was offline, and it allowed the freshman to score for a 1-0 lead.
The Pioneers responded in their half of the sixth after Kwame Carter, who matched Evan Burroughs, Blanton, and Gillin with two hits, legged out a one-out triple.
Merrix Oakes came on to pinch run for Carter, and the senior scored on a passed ball during Jack Bridgeman’s at-bat to tie the game, and ultimately force extras.
“I had a feeling that if we could get through that 12th inning, which sounds crazy, I liked our chances. We had our 9-1-2 hitters coming up on the second or third time through the order on their pitcher,” said Sean Burroughs. “I just had a feeling that we were going to be able to put something together; Chase got on, Evan got on, and it just kind of rolled from there.”
Reddick, who took the loss on the mound despite pitching five innings of relief, allowed only one hit — a single from Blanton in the top of the ninth — before the 13th inning while striking out four. He and Logan Kelly paced the Falcons at the plate with two hits apiece.
Camden Winfree, who relieved starter Nathan Jarrett after he reached the pitch count limit in the top of the sixth, also pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.
#9 Watauga 5, #8 Southeast Guilford 1 (13 innings)
Watauga 000 001 000 000 4 — 5 13 1
Southeast Guilford 000 010 000 000 0 — 1 6 2
Daniel Jones — 7.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Evan Burroughs — 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 7 K
Bryce Scheffler — 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K — WIN
Nathan Jarrett — 5.2 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 2 K
Camden Winfree — 2.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Carter Reddick — 5 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 4 K — LOSS
Eli Bishop — 3 H, 6 AB, 2 RBI, 2 2B
Kwame Carter — 2 H, 6 AB, 3B
Chase Gillin — 2 H, 5 AB, 2B
Jake Blanton — 2 H, 6 AB, 1 R
Evan Burroughs — 2 H, 5 AB, 1 R, 2 BB
Daniel Jones — 1 H, 6 AB
Brett Vannoy — 1 H, 1 AB
Carter Reddick — 2 H, 5 AB, 1 R, 2B
Logan Kelly — 2 H, 4 AB, 2B
Aiden Simmons — 1 H, 6 AB
Nathan Jarrett — 1 H, 3 AB, 1 BB