For the first time since 1983, the Holtville baseball team will play for a state championship.
Holtville swept Headland on Friday night at home in the AHSAA Class 5A semifinals. Holtville won Game 1, 4-2, then went on to win Game 2, 7-2, to complete the sweep and punch their ticket to the championship series.
The Bulldogs, which are now 34-5, will play the winner or Russellville and Madison Academy in the state championship in Oxford at Choccolocco Park. Game 1 is set for Wednesday night.
“This is huge for this group,” Holtville coach Scott Tubbs said. “I think the last time we were in the Final Four was 1991, so it was 30-plus years ago. For these kids to fight to get back to this situation is great for them considering we still haven’t put the lineup we thought we would this year out on the field and what they’ve done is unbelievable. I am really proud of them and happy for the school and community. Let’s see what we can do next week. If we’re going, we might as well give it a shot and see if we can win it.”
Like they have every series this postseason, the Holtville pitching staff was as dominant as they could ask for. Junior third baseman Tanner Potts started Game 1 on the mound, and he pitched a complete game on only 85 pitches.
He allowed only two runs, one earned and one unearned, on eight hits while he struck out four Headland batters.
Potts has thrown back-to-back complete games in Game 1 of the last two series to give Holtville a series lead.
“We always feel like Tanner will give us a chance, and for some reason we always swing the bats really well when he pitches,” Tubbs said. “He was a no-brainer to go and be our guy. He just fills up the zone and throws strikes and throws to contact. He makes plays.”
After Potts’ complete game in Game 1, senior Todd Wilson wouldn’t be outdone.
Wilson took the mound in Game 2 and tossed a complete game as well, allowing only four hits and two runs, one earned and one unearned, as he struck out 11 batters.
He threw 107 pitches and got better as the game went on. He retired the last eight batters in order, including the last five via strikeout. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Wilson struck out the side on 12 pitches to clinch the championship berth.
“This is what we’ve been working for all year,” Wilson said. “This is what we’ve been striving for since we were little kids. Most of this group has been playing together since we were five. To clinch a berth in the championship is one thing, but for us, the job is not finished.”
As good as the pitching was, the hitting was just as good.
Holtville had seven hits in the first game, including two from Sam Silas and two from Garrett Ingram. Silas had three RBIs in the first two innings on two singles.
The Bulldogs got better at the plate as the night went on and spread 12 hits across the diamond in Game 2. Potts led the team with three hits, while Silas, Drey Barrett, Randy Davis and Mikey Forney each added two hits.
Potts and Forney each had two RBIs in Game 2.
