Johnson City captures Class 1A state title
ROUND ROCK — The world’s best couldn’t have scripted it better.
The Johnson City HIgh School baseball team, returning to the state tournament for the first time in 31 years, became the Class 1A state champions Thursday after crushing Blue Ridge 7-2 at Dell Diamond.
The Eagles baseball team (32-6) won the school’s first state title in head coach Randy Rutherford’s final game of his career. He already had announced his retirement before the state tournament.
Van Johnson receives his gold medal from Charles Breithaupt, the University Scholastic League’s executive director, at the Class 1A baseball state championship June 9.
“It hasn’t hit me yet,” he said, after accepting the championship plaque and an individual gold medal. “I think someone else may have to drive the bus home.”
Senior pitcher Cody Smith was named the tournament’s most valuable player after only surrendering two runs, which included a home run, with four walks and three strikeouts. He retired 25 of the 29 batters he faced in 5 1/3 innings.
Rutherford relieved Smith with the pitcher who led Johnson City to the title game, Laramie Blackwell.
After he earned the semifinal win against Stamford on June 8, the senior entered the game with runners at first and second and two outs. He forced a fly out to senior center fielder Kris McDonald to end the inning.
Fittingly, the championship game ended on a double play, the Eagles’ second of the day. After a groundout for the first out, Blue Ridge’s Zack Gidney singled to left field. Tanner Garcia hit into a 6-4-3 double play that gave the Eagles the championship.
Johnson City, the visiting team, got started early offensively. Senior Cody Crofts doubled into the left-center field gap and went to third on an error that allowed Luke Neely to reach first. Crofts scored on a balk.
The game permanently turned in Johnson City’s favor in the third inning. With the game tied at 1-1, Smith struck out the first Tiger he faced. Blue Ridge junior Shawn McCarley singled to center field. The next batter popped up to Smith. A single to the center-right field gap propelled McCarley to round third and go home. But senior right fielder Dylan Carter got to the ball and threw it to senior catcher Aaron Humphrey.
McCarley had no chance as Humphrey turned with the ball in plenty of time to make the play and end the inning.
“I know Dylan has a cannon,” Humphrey said. “We work on that every day. That definitely brought the momentum back.”
Johnson City scored two runs at the top of the fourth inning to seize control of the contest.
Neely beat the throw to first for an infield single and stole second. Blackwell recorded an RBI on the sacrifice flyball. A throwing error allowed Blackwell to score.
Johnson City added two more runs in both the sixth and seventh innings for nine hits. All but one were earned. Blackwell finished with two runs scored and an RBI. Smith, Crofts and freshman Garrett Deleon each added an RBI.
“(Blue Ridge) has a good team,” Rutherford said. “I give my team credit. They stepped up and made plays when they needed to.”