By Sonny Turner
MONTGOMERY – Four times in his 35-year coaching career, Athens Bible School baseball coach Bill Murrell had come close to a state championship.
He got it Wednesday with 11-7 win over Providence Christian of Dothan in the Class 1A state finals at Paterson Field. The Trojans struck for seven runs on five hits in the fifth inning to erase a 5-4 deficit and beat the Eagles to claim their first Class 1A state baseball title.
Four times before Murrell took home the runner-up title — in 1980, 2000, 2001 and 2002. Wednesday’s victory marked the first baseball title in the school’s history.
“At the start of the season, I knew we had something special in this team” Murrell said. “We played Hackleburg in the state semifinals last year and we were the first team to score from their best pitcher. We didn’t have any seniors, and I knew we could build on this team. We’ve been waiting for this for the past three years.”
Team members, backed by a crowd of a few hundred, were thrilled.
“It’s indescribable! It’s amazing!” said Joseph Baker, the team’s pitcher and sometimes first-baseman who was named most valuable player.
“I’m proud of our seniors,” added junior catcher Jordan Pugh. “I hope we can come back next year, but most of all, I’m so proud for every one of our seniors.”
The team loses four seniors next year.
ABS opened Wednesday’s game with four-consecutive hits, which surprised Eagles Coach Frankie Pitman.
“There coaches were stealing our signals in that first inning,” Pitman said. “But we figured it out in the second inning and changed.”
The game turned for ABS in the bottom of the fifth. Trailing 5-4, the Trojans struck for seven runs to go up 11-5. In the inning, Will Chumbley, Jonathan Winland, Baker, Will Stinnett and Conner Brown singled after Brown reached on an error and Troy Steelman walked. Pitcher A.J. Price, who has been on fire as of late, got the win for ABS. He pitched into the seventh inning and gave up nine hits, struck out two and walked five. Brown came on in relief to finish the game. On the offense, Baker had a double and two singles, Stinnett had a double and a single, Pugh hit two singles and Chumbley had two hits for the Trojans.
On Tuesday night, ABS took the first game of the tournament, defeating Providence Christian 13-8. The Trojans put together a six-run fourth inning to take the lead against their Dothan opponents, a lead they never give up. ABS, which was 28-5, rode Baker’s arm for the win. Providence Christian, which was 19-15, jumped out front 4-1 but couldn’t hold the lead. Baker (12-1) pitched a complete game, striking out six and walking two. Steelman and Winland each went 2-for-3 for ABS. Pugh and Chumbley went 2-for-4, while Stinnett, Brown and Price each had a hit.
Comparing this team to his 2002 state runner-up squad, Murrell said this team got it done.
“In 2002 we took home the red trophy – this team has the blue,” he said Wednesday. He also mentioned retiring.
“I’m getting close to retirement,” Murrell said. “It’s a good thing to be able to bring home the big blue trophy. One day I will turn it over to my son, Brad, who is one of my assistant coaches, and I will ride off into the sunset.”
Until then, Murrell and his ABS Trojans will enjoy a little time in the winner’s circle.
