By Robert Wilson
Presbyterian Christian School, riding the broad shoulders and strong right arm of junior pitcher and Southern Miss commitment Bankston Walters, won its first state baseball championship in school history Saturday night at Mississippi College in Clinton.
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Walters pitched his second complete game win in four days to clinch the historic title.
Walters allowed only five hits and one earned run and had eight strikeouts without a walk and led No. 3 seed PCS to a 9-4 victory over No. 1 seed Hartfield Academy in the third and deciding game of the MAIS Class 6A state championship series at MC’s Frierson Field.
The game was scheduled to be played at Hartfield in Flowood but was moved to Mississippi College because Hartfield’s was unplayable due to rain this weekend.
PCS finished 2-14 and played in the 6A state title series for the second straight season. Jackson Prep won its seventh straight state title with a series win over PCS last year.
Hartfield finished 28-7 and lost to PCS for the third time in six meetings this season. The Hawks were trying to also win their first state title in school history. They have two state championship runner-up finishes under former coach Chuck Box, now the director of player and program development at the University of Texas.
Walters was the MVP of this year’s state championship series, throwing two complete games for victories and hitting a two-run home run in the first inning of Game 1.
Walters fired a two-hitter and had 11 strikeouts without a walk in Game 1.
He came back after throwing 85 pitches, 69 for strikes, a remarkable 81.2 percent for strikes, in Game 1 to throw 104 pitches, 74 for strikes, 71.2 percent for strikes, in Game 3 only 72 hours later.
“After the game Thursday night (a 7-5 win by Hartfield to even the series at one game each), I went up to Coach Hoff (PCS coach Jarrett Hoffpauir) and said, ‘you know the only way we win Saturday is if I pitch,’’’ Walters said. “I said, ‘you have to give me the ball.’’’ And he said, ‘you got it.’ My arm felt great honestly (after Game 3) and the hard work I’ve put in the offseason showed last night. Everything clicked last night, and my fastball was electric. I was on my A game with locations, and we did a great job of throwing the hitters’ timing off.”
“I’m just really proud for our guys,” said Hoffpauir, a former Southern Miss star player who finished his fourth season at PCS. “We played a complete game. We pitched it great, played great defense and got big hits. Our guys accepted the challenge and took it head on.
“Bankston has been phenomenal all year. He’s a guy that brings energy every day. Bankston is a special young man.”
Walters finished the season with a 11-1 record with a 1.64 earned run average with 125 strikeouts and only 15 walks in 811/3 innings. He also hit a team-high .351 with 5 doubles, 6 home runs, 26 runs scored and 38 RBIs.
PCS only led 2-1 going into the sixth inning Saturday night before it exploded for three runs in the sixth and five more in the seventh to take a commanding, 9-1 lead.
Sophomore catcher Kade Welford hit a RBI bunt single with the bases loaded and junior second baseman and leadoff hitter Jet Henderson hit a two-run single in the sixth. Welford led PCS with three hits.
Sophomore first baseman Reed Bridges – son of Donnie Bridges, a first-round major league draft pick out of Oak Grove High in 1997 – had the biggest hit in the seventh with a grand slam home run.
In addition to Welford, Henderson, Bridges, and sophomore shortstop Brennon Thoms – whose father (Josh), uncles (Hank and Lake) and cousin (Rusty) played baseball at Mississippi State – had two hits each for PCS.
Hartfield rallied to come from behind in Game 2.
Senior first baseman and Jones County Junior College signee Sam Oakley walked with the bases loaded to score senior centerfielder and Hinds CC signee Sam Sheffield and sophomore designated hitter Gabriel Estel hit an RBI single to score senior shortstop and Jacksonville, Ala., State signee JP Abt and junior Latham Bynum came in relief for the game-ending strikeout with the tying run on first base.
“Last night was tough,” Hartfield coach Justin Smith said. “Especially having to face Walters twice in this series. I’m proud of our guys competing till the final pitch. This group has set a new standard for our baseball program, and I have the seniors to thank for that. Though this lost hurt, I know our team gave full effort, competed, and played the game the right way. I’m proud of them all for that. I’ll miss this group.”
“It was a great season,” said Hartfield senior shortstop-pitcher JP Abt, this year’s MAIS Class 6A Player of the Year. “I’ll never forget this team and I’m thankful for all my teammates and coaches. It just wasn’t our night. Good luck to the boys next year. I hope they do well. I credit all my success to my teammates and coaches.”
