Playoff bound
- Updated: April 14, 2021
Saks ends 12-year playoff drought (second longest in county) with come-from-behind victory over Weaver; plays at Piedmont in opening round
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
WEAVER — It seems so long ago that Saks last made the baseball playoffs, most of the players on the current team can’t even remember what they were doing the last time it happened.
The Wildcats ended the second-longest active playoff drought in the county Wednesday when they came from behind to beat Weaver 9-5 for the second spot out of Class 3A Area 9.
They will open the playoffs at Area 11 champion Piedmont. Childersburg won Area 9 and will host Ohatchee in their first-round series.
It was 2009 (4A) the last time Saks made the playoffs; only Anniston has a longer dry spell (1990). It’s not quite the Cubs ending a World Series drought, but significant nonetheless.
Most of the Wildcats’ current players were either in Kindergarten or hadn’t even started school yet the last time it happened. Coach Wes Ginn, in his ninth year as the Saks baseball coach, was in his last year as Pleasant Valley’s basketball coach.
The Wildcats had come close several seasons in the interim, but just hadn’t been able to pull through. They picked up Area wins over Childersburg, Wellborn and two over Weaver to get the elusive and coveted spot.
“I was 6; I was small, that’s all I know,” catcher and closer Connor Martin said. “It means a lot. It means we have improved and we came out to play. Some major deciding factors went into it and we came out and clinched it.
“It is historical because it was 12 years, it’s like a 12-year drought. We came out, we won, but we don’t feel like it yet. The adrenaline’s pumping, but we don’t feel it yet, or at least I don’t. But I know whenever we play the first playoff game it’s going to be there.”
Weaver didn’t make it easy for them. Playing on their first day back from a two-week COVID quarantine, the Bearcats got out of a bases-loaded no-out situation unscathed in the top of the first, then batted around in the bottom of the inning and scored four runs off Saks starter Mason Jairrels.
But Jairrels settled down after that. He faced only one batter over the minimum in his final 4 2/3 innings and he Martin held the Bearcats to one run and four hits the rest of the way.
“I’m overwhelmed,” Jairrels said, noting he probably hadn’t even started T-ball the last time Saks made the playoffs. “I’ve been anticipating this game for a while. I’ve been nervous to pitch and play this game because I know we haven’t made it in 12 seasons and that’s a big thing that we just won.
“When we went to warm up I didn’t get to get any pitches in because (conditions were) a little messed up up there, so I didn’t get to warm up like I wanted to. I want to blame that, but I feel like I shouldn’t have an excuse. After that I tried to have a motivational mindset.”
The Wildcats, meanwhile, took control of their destiny with a seven-run third inning. They sent 11 batters to the plate. Clay Rucker got them on the board with a two-run single, Shon Elston drew a bases-loaded walk, Zack Walters scored the tying run on a wild pitch and Rickey Garrett put them ahead for good with a two-run double.
Garrett had three hits and Martin went 4-for-5 with three RBIs. Garrett rushed off after the game with three teammates to be inducted into the National Honor Society.
“Our baseball guys have worked hard, our upperclassmen, and they’ve put us in a position to get to the playoffs,” Ginn said. “We’ve had a lot of guys sacrifice and play some positions they might not normally play to give us a chance to win … and they finally closed the deal and did what they were supposed to to get the job done.”
Saks completed the doubleheader and series sweep in the nightcap 16-2. Jairrels hit the Wildcats’ first home run of the season, a two-run shot in a 16-run fourth inning.
The county could have as many as eight teams total in the playoffs this year. In addition to Saks getting in, Oxford, Piedmont and Donoho are in as area champions; Jacksonville and Alexandria are in and playing for area titles Thursday; Ohatchee is an area runner-up and Faith Christian could be in as an area runner-up if Donoho beats Ragland Thursday.
Saks 9, Weaver 5
Saks 007 000 2 – 9 10 2
Weaver 400 000 1 – 5 8 4
MASON JAIRRELS, Connor Martin (6) and Connor Martin, Zack Waters (6); Jackson Williams, ELIJAH SMITH (3), Devin Anderson (4), Christian Marterello (4), Rabon Kirk (7) and Taylor Thompson. 2B: Rickey Garrett (S). 3B: Elijah Smith 2 (W).
Saks 16, Weaver 2
Saks 000 (16)0 – 16 5 0
Weaver 002 0 0 – 2 3 2
WP: Connor Martin. LP: Rabon Kirk. 2B: Clay Rucker (S), Dalton Homesley (W). HR: Mason Jairrels (S).
Last playoff appearances
| Team | Last | Projected 2021 Opponent |
| x-Alexandria | 2016 | Pleasant Grove/@John Carroll |
| Anniston | 1990 | |
| x-Donoho | 2019 | Meek |
| y-Faith Christian | 2012 | @Sumiton Christian |
| x-Jacksonville | 2016 | Good Hope/@Curry |
| JCA | 2016 | |
| x-Ohatchee | 2019 | @Childersburg |
| x-Oxford | 2019 | Arab/Ft.Payne/Scottsboro |
| x-Piedmont | 2019 | Saks |
| Pleasant Valley | 2018 | |
| x-Saks | 2009 | @Piedmont |
| Weaver | 2019 | |
| Wellborn | 2017 | |
| White Plains | 2013 |
y-2021 playoffs pending
NOTE: There were no playoffs in 2020 (COVID-19)
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