GREENLAND -- As each Episcopal Collegiate batter stepped into the box in the fifth inning Friday, they kept their eyes on Coach Eddie Stephenson.
In a game that was tied 2-2 with Bay in the Class 2A state baseball quarterfinals, the Wildcats were looking for any edge they could find. And when Bay's pitcher started struggling to find the strike zone, Stephenson instructed his players to start taking pitches.
The result was a four-run fifth inning that included four walks and three singles. All of that added up to a 7-2 win that sent the Wildcats to the semifinals for the first time in program history.
"There was a take sign for a reason. We could see the new guy was on the mound and he was struggling a little bit, so we were going to try and make his get it over the plate, not just free swinging," Stephenson said. "It worked out and we got a couple of timely two-out hits to get a couple of insurance runs. It worked out for us today."
Episcopal Collegiate leaned on junior pitcher Hunter Grumbles, and the right-hander delivered a solid performance in the complete-game win. Grumbles allowed four hits and struck out six.
But more important for his team was his pitching effort came one day after the Wildcats had to use ace Drew Grumbles for three innings and 46 pitches in a 9-inning, 6-5 win against Lavaca on Thursday, making him unavailable to pitch on Friday.
"Hunter, he's just one of those kids that has it," Stephenson said. "He's got an older brother that gets all the press. But Hunter, he just wants the ball and he doesn't want to come out of the game. Last night, when we went to extra innings, we had to use Drew. Drew was going to throw today. But when we talked after the game last night, we said told Hunter, 'Look, we've got the best kid on the mound today.' And he believed it. We didn't have to convince him. As a coach, you just appreciate that dude."
The Wildcats didn't knock the cover off the ball Friday, but they didn't really have to. They were issued nine walks for the game. Ramsey Jennings had two of Episcopal Collegiate's seven hits and Cole Scifres had a two-run single in the four-run fifth inning. Hunter Grumbles also helped his cause with an RBI double.
Landon Therrell drove in both of Bay's runs in the top of the fifth that tied the game at 2-2 with a double, and Reed Crocker had two hits for the Yellowjackets (11-13).
Stephenson is in his second season at Episcopal Collegiate, which is located in Little Rock, after spending two decades at another Little Rock school, Baptist Prep. Last season he led the Wildcats to the 3A state tournament, only the second time Episcopal Collegiate had reached the state tournament. Because of the Competitive Equity Factor, the program was bumped from 3A to 2A, where it will spend four seasons.
"Last year we got beat 3-2 in the state tournament to Prescott, but the kids started to believe then that they could be this good," Stephenson said. "The program has never been to the semifinals and never been to back-to-back state tournaments. So this is all new. But my guys believe they can do it. We believe we're good enough."
Episcopal Collegiate will take on Palestine-Wheatley in today's first semifinal at noon. Palestine-Wheatley defeated host Greenland 6-4.