Jack Alley helped lead Farragut to a 10-3 win Friday in the Class 4A state semifinals against Riverdale on May 27, 2022, at Oakland High School. (Photo by Danny Parker).
BY JESSE SMITHEY
MURFREESBORO — Being a two-sport starter at a high school like Farragut is no simple task. Just ask Jack Alley.
The sophomore, who made 123 tackles and 10 tackle for loss for the Admiral football team this past fall, also hits in the 7-hole this spring for 10-time state champion Farragut Baseball.
He helped Farragut Football reach the 6A quarterfinals. Now, he’s helping the Admirals baseball chase a 4A state title.
“It’s a full-time job to play two sports at Farragut,” said the 6-foot-3, 195-pound Alley. “There’s no offseason for me. I’m constantly in the weight room. I’m constantly eating right, constantly sleeping right.
“But I try to hit, year round, to help my team as much as I can.”
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The fruits of Alley’s labor and dedication surfaced at an opportune time Friday afternoon, as his single in the sixth inning continued a rally and gave Farragut the lead for good in a 10-3 win over Riverdale in the Class 4A state semifinals.
Farragut (29-11-1) trailed 3-0 after five innings but plated five runs apiece in both the sixth and seventh, helping the Admirals avoid a second game with Riverdale on Friday evening.
Alley’s crushed single to left field in the sixth scored two runs, but the left fielder misplayed the ball and a third Farragut runner scored, putting the Admirals ahead 5-2.
“Well, I’m always looking for a fastball,” said Alley. “I know that’s my strength, but he gave me an inside one and I knew I had to hit it hard.”
Farragut will play Houston (38-8) in the 4A championship game at 1 p.m. Central time Saturday at Oakland High School. The Admirals’ 2010 and 2014 state championship wins came against the Mustangs’ program.
Houston hasn’t won a state baseball title since 2005. Farragut is looking for its first since 2019.
The two met earlier this season in Farragut, the Admirals claiming an 11-4 win. That was six weeks ago, though, and neither team threw its ace. So it’s likely to be much more competitive this time around.
Houston beat Powell twice this week and Stewarts Creek to reach the finale.
“A very talented baseball team,” Farragut coach Matt Buckner said of Houston.
“It’ll take an unbelievable effort by us to have a chance to win.”
Farragut enters Saturday with a 12-game winning streak and has scored 83 runs in that span.
Dakota Green, junior right-hander from Riverdale, stymied the hot-hitting Farragut through five innings Friday.
And the vibe heading into the sixth inning very much felt like Farragut would have to play the Warriors in a second game to try and reach Friday’s championship; the Admirals had only pocketed four hits.
Farragut broke through against Green from the jump in the top of the sixth. Lukas Buckner singled. Brennon Seigler doubled. And Riverdale pulled Green off the mound.
Didn’t matter. The confidence had returned to the Farragut lineup.
Landis Davila and Eli Evans drove in runs, and Alley got his big hit to alter the game’s trajectory. Alley added a sac-fly RBI in the seventh on the heels of RBI singles by Jett Johnston and Jake Merrick.
And then, a special moment happened for senior catcher Garrett Brewer.
Having played and caught the past two weeks on a torn hamstring, Brewer popped a two-run homer to the opposite field for the 10-3 lead.
Sure, it took a while for him to hobble around the bases — 29 seconds to be exact — but the reception he got from teammates at home plate and at the dugout was worth it. They knew of his injury and paid their respect in a big way.
“All love to Garrett. He’s been playing on a torn hamstring, obviously,” said Johnston. “He’s just out here giving it his all his senior year.
“I just love that guy, man.”