For a split second, a hard hit ball up the middle of the field looked like it might spell trouble for Mount Airy.
Visiting Thomasville had the game-tying run on first base in the top of the seventh inning of the third-round playoff game. The well-placed hit to center field would’ve put runners on the corners, and with only one out on the scoreboard the visiting Bulldogs had a strong chance to even things up and permanently swing momentum in their favor.
Instead, Mount Airy pitcher Brison George bounced back up to knock down the hit. George flipped the ball to Rylan Venable to tag second base, then Venable rifled a throw to first where an outstretched Kamden Hawks made the snag. The double play sent the Granite Bears into a frenzy as they realized the tight game was finally over.
The Bears’ 1-0 victory secured a spot in the Elite Eight and extended the team’s historic season.
“I’m so proud of this entire team because they made some big time plays tonight,” said Mount Airy coach Josh Wilson. “Our kids had a lot of poise and I don’t think they ever let the pressure get to them. That shows just how far this group has come.”
George helped the Bears (24-1) record a school-record 10th shutout of the season. The senior tossed seven strikeouts in the no-hitter and fell just two bases on balls short of a perfect game.
“Even though it was a one-run game I don’t think they ever felt that it was close, and a lot of that was the product of Brison’s pitching,” Coach Wilson said. “To see him throw seven innings, go for 90 pitches, and finish with a no-hitter in a third-round playoff game…I mean, I couldn’t ask him to pitch any better than that. They put some balls in play, but we made the plays.
“It was a defensive game and we showed up in the field, on the mound and behind the plate.”
Coach Wilson called Thursday’s game a great team win. The coach highlighted how many players have stepped up and delivered in crucial situations this season, calling the Bears’ depth one of their biggest strengths as a team.
“We really feel like anyone on the field can step up and make an impact at any time,” the coach said. “Tonight, Landon Gallimore was the only guy for either team to reach third base and he did it twice. He goes and scores our only run, and the guy that hit the RBI — Camdyn Easter — is a freshman in the nine-hole.
“Both those guys and so many others made big plays in the field too. It took everyone to get this win.”
Ian Gallimore was the first Granite Bear on base when he was walked in the bottom of the first inning, but he was left on base. Landon Gallimore and Bryson Grey each hit singles in the bottom of the second inning, but Mount Airy couldn’t capitalize. Hawks and Ian Gallimore were then left on in the third inning.
Landon Gallimore was walked after facing a full count in the bottom of the fourth inning. Grey hit a bloop single to center field that sent Landon to third. Grey stole second base to take away the force, then Easter grounded out to bring in the run.
Coach Wilson commended pitcher Travail Barnes and the Thomasville fielders for holding Mount Airy to three hits. The Bears were also held to just a single run for the first time since Feb. 29.
“The kid pitched his tail off, and they played pretty flawless defense,” Coach Wilson said. “I thought we made good contact, we were just overly aggressive and hit early in the counts. Some of those would’ve been hits against other teams, Thomasville was just in the right spots and made the right plays.”
Mount Airy had a six-day layoff between playoff rounds due to bad weather. During that span, the Bears were limited to some indoor batting practice and taking a few fly balls and ground balls in the outfield.
Despite the unconventional week, Coach Wilson said his team remained as locked in as he’s seen them all year. The coach hopes his team carries that level of focus into the fourth round as Mount Airy will face its tallest task of the season in the form of the Cherryville Ironmen.
Cherryville (19-9) is the No. 5 seed in the 1A West. The Ironmen finished second overall and first among 1A teams in the Southern Piedmont 1A/2A Conference. The only team to finish ahead of Cherryville in the conference was Burns — the No. 1-ranked team in the 2A West that currently boasts a 28-0 record.
Cherryville reached the 1A West Regional Semifinal with the following postseason victories: 15-0 vs. No. 28 Mitchell, 10-0 vs. No. 21 South Stokes, and 8-2 vs. No. 4 Draughn.
Mount Airy and Cherryville had two common opponents this season: South Stokes and Highland Tech. Mount Airy defeated South Stokes 3-0, 9-1 and 5-1 in their three meetings, while Cherryville topped South Stokes 10-0 in their only game. Mount Airy defeated Highland Tech 10-0 in the second round of the playoffs, while Cherryville split its regular season series against Highland Tech by winning 3-0 and losing 3-2.
The winner of Mount Airy and Cherryville will advance to the 1A West Regional Championship Series against the winner of No. 2 Uwharrie Charter (23-5) and No. 3 Christ the King Catholic High School (20-7).
Pitching
Thomasville
Travail Barnes — 7 IP, 3K, 5 BB, 0 HBP, 3H, 1R
Mount Airy
Brison George — 7 IP, 7K, 2 BB, 0 HBP, 0H, 0R
Scoring
(9) Thomasville — 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 — 0
(1) Mount Airy — 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, X — 1
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