The Dan River Wildcats ended the season for the Patrick County High Cougars in the Class 2 Region C semifinal game, played at Ferrum College on June 2. The Wildcats rode two big innings to an 11-1 win.
Dan River scored 5 runs in the second and the fourth, putting the game out of reach behind strong pitching.
“Their pitcher pitched really well, you can’t take anything away from him. He did a hell of a job. Hats off to him and the game he played,” said Cougar head coach Tal Swails. “We’re good enough to compete in that game. We just had a bad day.”
The Cougars finished the season with a 15-5 record.
Coach Swails said after the game of how proud he was of his team, including his five seniors. For Chance Corns, Gavin Fain, Easton Harris, Noah Jessup and Jackson Horton, it may have been their last game in Cougar green and gold, but what they accomplished with their teammates has been remarkable.
“I’m so proud of those five guys,” said Swails. “They’ve been great stewards of Cougars baseball. They’ve been in the program since they were in the seventh grade, and they’re going to be missed dearly, but they’ve had great careers, and they’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. They can be disappointed about this game, but they’ve all had incredible careers” including the 2023 state championship. “They’ve been to the peak, and now they’re in the valley, and that’s baseball.”
