Happy Days Are Here Again: Rebels Knock Off Thompson to Reach Class 7A Championship Baseball Series

Vestavia players celebrate their game 3 win over Thompson last Friday to earn a trip to the Class 7A championship series against Central-Phenix City this week at Choccolocco Park in Oxford. Journal photo by Jordan Wald

By Rubin E. Grant

Vestavia Hills hadn’t lost two consecutive games all season and they weren’t about to let it happen in their Class 7A semifinal baseball series at Thompson last week.

After dropping the opener of the series 11-1 on Thursday, Rebels coach Jamie Harris expected his team to bounce back.

“They’ve done a good job of shaking off losses, turning the page, getting off the mat, or whatever cliche you want to use,” Harris said.

Sure enough, the Rebels flipped the script.

Senior left-hander Jable Ramey and senior right-hander Ryan Vermillion turned in stellar pitching performances on Friday as the Rebels won Games 2 and 3 by identical 3-2 scores to win the series 2-1.

Vestavia Hills (32-10) will play defending champion Central-Phenix City (33-9) in the Class 7A championship series this week. Game 1 will be Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Choccolocco Park in Oxford. Game 2 is set for Thursday at 4 p.m. at Jacksonville State University and Game 3, if necessary, will follow.

“I am real happy for our kids,” said Harris, a 1996 graduate of Vestavia Hills. “Obviously, I played at Vestavia and almost all of my coaching staff played at Vestavia, so we’ve been there and done that. Now, it’s time for them to have their day in the sun. Having my son (senior first baseman Jackson Harris) on the team makes it even more special.”

Ramey, who is headed to Huntingdon College in Montgomery, and Vermillion, who is headed to Jacksonville State, made sure the Rebels would reach the state championship series for the first time since 2000. That was the final year of a 10-year dynasty that produced nine state championships, including seven straight from 1994-2000 under legendary coach Sammy Dunn.

Ramey pitched six solid innings in Game 2, allowing two earned runs on six hits, walking and striking out one. Vermillion worked the seventh, allowing a single and striking out the final batter to earn the save.

Vermillion pitched a complete game win in Game 3, giving up two runs on eight hits and striking out six.

“They have been warriors all year,” Harris said. “After we lost Thursday, we knew we had the two guys with the lowest ERA ready to go and they had 240 pitches between. Darn if they didn’t use about all 240. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

Vestavia Hills’ offense provided just enough run support to make sure the efforts of Ramey and Vermillion weren’t wasted against the Warriors (37-8).

The Rebels trailed 2-0 in the bottom of the third when they strung together four consecutive two-out singles by Grant Downey, Auburn University signee Chris Johnston, Samford signee Jackson Harris and UAB commit John Paul Head to tie the score 2-2.

The Rebels broke the tie in the bottom of the sixth when Jacksonville State signee Hunter Walburn and Mason Perrigo walked to open the inning and Will Cox delivered a two-out, RBI single.

In the deciding third game, the Rebels fell behind 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning. Walburn’s run-scoring single in the top of the third cut the deficit to 2-1.

Vestavia Hills went ahead 3-2 in the fifth on pinch-hitter Luke Swanzy’s clutch two-out, two-run single to right field. Swanzy missed last season after receiving a bone-marrow transplant.

“We scored only six runs in the two games, but all six came with two outs,” Harris said. “When we needed clutch hits, we got them.”

As for the decision to have Swanzy pinch-hit, Harris said, “He’s always been a good player and never afraid of the moment.”

Although the Rebels are returning to the championship series for the first time in 23 years, Harris wants more.

“This is where Vestavia baseball belongs, but the job is not done,” he said. “Getting there is not good enough for us.”

Central-Phenix City swept Smiths Station (24-16), 8-4 and 8-1, in its semifinal series.

“They’re good,” Harris said of the Red Devils. “They’ve got some college guys on their team. It’s never easy, but it means more when it’s not.”