GC Baseball: Tigers beat Sherman in a 1-0 thriller to begin playoffs

May 4—RICHARDSON — If you're one of those Tiger fans who has been missing all of that gut-wrenching, hand-wringing drama that has defined Heath Autrey's playoff teams in the past, then you probably loved the Tigers' 1-0 victory Thursday over Sherman in the opening game of the playoffs.

After watching the Tigers have a season full of lop-sided wins, it seemed like old times to Tiger fans Thursday night at Richardson Berkner, where Autrey's youngest Tiger team ever didn't flinch in a tense thriller Alfred Hitchcock would have been proud to have directed.

Yup, this was one of those.

And the Tigers might see another in this best-of-three series that continues Friday and maybe Saturday at Berkner, which became the neutral site for all three games after rains washed out Sherman's diamond in what was scheduled to be home and home games with a possible rubber game Saturday at Rockwall.

That's why the Tigers, a No.1-seed in the 5A playoffs, didn't play at Price Field Thursday. It doesn't matter now. The only thing that matters was that scorching grounder off Josh Portillo's bat in the bottom of the sixth that brought home Blake Phillips with the only run of the game.

How good did that feel?

Ooooooooooh, that was sweet.

If you follow Autrey's Tigers, you know that sound, you know that feeling and you love it. Games like this one are the heart and soul of Autreyball and defines and refines Corsicana's best athletic program — a Wolfpack program that defies the odds every year and almost always out-plays better teams on the schedule and in the playoffs — especially in the playoffs.

It is the bedrock of the program and the magic in the bat that Autrey the Wizard waves like a wand — and you better believe that it's contagious.

That's why Autrey celebrated his 400th career win this season.

Thursday's game was a testament to the teams that produced those 400 victories, teams that scrambled for runs and came through in the clutch when there was no chance. How many times have players come out of nowhere to pitch and pitch well in the playoffs?

Autrey preaches and teaches that preparation wins games, and preparation won Thursday. The Tigers are taught and re-taught that when you are in the tightest of games facing pressure the key is not to panic or try to do too much, just fall back on your preparation.

Just look at Blake Phillips in the bottom of the sixth Thursday night when he led off and was quickly in the hole at the plate. But with two strikes on him, he battled a tough pitcher who kept throwing strikes and fouled off three nasty pitches in a row to stay alive — count 'em, three — and eventually walked.

He moved up on another walk and then — with two outs — Phillips stole third and waited there for Portillo to deliver that hard grounder that went speeding past Phillips at third and racing into left field while Phillips raced home.

Connor Perkins, who went the distance to win his 10th game and his ninth shutout, had some trouble in the seventh when he hit the leadoff batter and felt the pressure build when Sherman had the tying run at second with one out.

But Perkins, who gave up four hits without a walk to win the Tigers' 25th game of the season and their sixth shutout in a row, took care of business and nailed down the win with a popup to first and a 6-3 groundout to Oscar Castaneda, who had a brilliant game at short, flashing his Gold Glove all night, for a fitting end.

Perkins was huge in the seventh and even bigger in the fourth when Sherman's leadoff man doubled and went to third on a passed ball, leaving Perkins in a horrible spot with a runner at third with no outs.

No problem. Perkins left the runner 90 feet from home, with a strikeout swinging, a popout to Phillips at second and a grounder to Castaneda. Perkins retired nine of the next 10 before hitting the leadoff batter in the seventh.

It was that kind of game ...

The kind that feels ooooh-so good to win.