2/26/2011 1:21:04 PM
Saturday’s Sumrall vs. Petal matchup is a very early look at the top two teams in Mississippi and two teams that look to be a part of the Perfect Game Top 50 throughout the year. Sumrall, coming off a 3rd consecutive 3A state title, ended the year ranked number one in Mississippi high school polls with Petal, fresh off a 6A title of its own, ended the year #2.
Sumrall made national headlines with a win streak that reached 67 games before ending eight shy of the national record. The team ended the year 36-1, but lost seniors SS Chase Lewallen (Mississippi State) and IF/RHP Jackson Posey (Southern Miss).
The team has a ton of experience coming back led by Southern Miss commits SS Connor Barron and LHP Luke Lowery. Lowry will get the start Saturday vs. Petal. Another Sumrall player who looks to contribute in 2011 in RHP/IF Brandon Pennington, a transfer from Northwest Rankin.
Both teams have suffered unexpected setbacks in the early season. Petal lost OF Anthony Alford to a football injury and he will not play this weekend. There is a chance he will be healthy for the March 26th re-matchup.
Alford is one of the best athletes in the state and is ranked #44 nationally in the 2012 class.
Petal RHP/1B Brandon Smith, also recovering from a football injury, while play Saturday after his status was in doubt leading up to the game.
Sumrall’s setback came on the field as they lost Friday night 5-2 to Forest County Ag in a game in which they only allowed two hits, both of which were home runs. Sumrall hurt themselves by committing 5 errors on the day.
Sumrall looks to clean up those errors as well as adding the timely hitting that escaped them Friday night.
Petal, who beat Forest County Ag 3-1 early Saturday, will throw big RHP Cody Conkle.