The Landrum team that beat Greer Middle College 18-0 on Tuesday, April 19 to win a region championship was not the same team that first walked onto the field in 2011.
“We’ve grown up a lot this year,” head coach Ray McCallister said. “Now we’ve learned to be selfless. You have to know your role and these guys are learning that.”
This Cardinal team is very similar to the 2002 state championship team that started the dominant run through the 2000s. That team, led by pitchers Cassidy Pace and Dylan Davidson, wasn’t flashy. They just knew how to win.
This team has that same “scrappy” attitude about them, McCallister said. McCallister, in his first full season as head coach, was an assistant for the Cardinals on that team.
Those Cardinals went on to win a state championship. Where will these Cardinals go?
Landrum put together two gutsy performances in the last two nights – a nail biter against Southside Christian Monday and Tuesday’s blowout against GMC – and the players on this team believe.
“Now we just have to take it to district and state,” senior pitcher and outfielder Joseph Corn said. “We just have to keep playing like we’re playing.”
All cylinders were clicking against GMC. Jake Henson pitched five dominant innings to get the win. Henson allowed just one hit in the shutout and that was to the first batter of the night, Josh Pearson.
Landrum’s biggest offensive inning came in the second inning. After that the substitutions started flowing. The Cardinals scored seven runs in the second. Offensively, Jon Humphries and Gus Wofford had strong nights. Humphries was 3-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Wofford was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
“Everybody’s starting to play together,” Humphries said. “All the support in the dugout helps you with confidence at the plate.”
The Cardinals have one more game in the regular season before the playoffs begin. Landrum hosts Blacksburg Thursday, April 21 at 7 p.m.
Landrum will have two guaranteed home games in the playoffs.