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Mooreville second baseman Matthew Pannell applies the tag to Sumrall runner Zach Jones who was safe on the
play. Sumrall won their fourth consecutive MHSAA Class 3A state baseball championship on a no- hitter thrown by
Luke Lowery, beating Mooreville 8-0 in Game 2 on Thursday at Trustmark Park in Pearl. (Chris Todd)
Otherwise, Sumrall left-hander Luke Lowery was perfect on this spring evening at Trustmark Park.
The Southern Mississippi signee recorded 11 strikeouts and fired his first career no-hitter to lead the Bobcats to an 8-0 victory and a two-game sweep of the best-of-three state title series.
“I just wanted to fill it up and throw strikes,” Lowery said after accepting his championship medal. “My fastball and slider were working pretty well. My defense kept me in the game.
“I’d never thrown a no-hitter. I just wanted to go out and say, ‘Thank you’ to our fans.”
Mooreville leadoff batter Channing Nanney popped out, grounded out and flied out against Lowery.
“He started off with a curveball and used it pretty much the whole game,” Nanney said. “He had us fooled and had us guessing.
“My hat’s off the them. They’re a good team.”
Mooreville first-year coach Jamie Russell, a former Troopers player who replaced the state’s all-time winningest coach, Rex Berryman, was impressed with Lowery’s performance.
“We heard he was the real deal and he didn’t disappoint,” Russell said. “I’m proud of our kids. They battled, they battled to get here.
“We lost five in a row to end the regular season and I didn’t think there was anyway of advancing this far.”
The state championship was the fourth straight for the Bobcats (30-5), who defeated the Troopers (24-12) in the 2008 state title series.
North Forrest and West Lauderdale are the only other programs to win four consecutive state titles.
Sumrall gave Lowery (11-0) all the run support he would need early.
Dylan Anglin’s RBI single gave the Bobcats a 1-0 in the first. A
ustin Knight’s two-run double in the second helped his team build a 4-0 lead against Troopers starter Drew Wheeler (7-2).
Sumrall’s No. 9 batter, Griff Decuir, joined the act in the third inning, blasting a two-run double to the gap in right-center field to make it 6-0.