TITLE TIGERS: Deshler baseball wins program’s 1st blue map
Playing a competitive team sport has a number of advantages for high school athletes.
Players learn things like hard work, work ethic, discipline, perseverance and camaraderie.
Sports, much like life, are all about learning to take advantage of the highs and bounce back from the lows.
The Deshler Tigers varsity baseball team experienced both during the Class 4A state championship at Jacksonville State University on May 14.
The Tigers had ripped through much of the 2025 postseason, with sweeps of West Limestone, Alexandria and Etowah.
The only loss so far had been one game to Haleyville, which still ended in a 2-1 series victory for DHS.
Deshler defeated Bibb County 2-1 in the first leg of a best-of-three series in Oxford, meaning one more win and the Tigers would bring home the first state title in DHS baseball program history.
Brady McKinney scored in the top of the fourth after a Choctaw throwing error, and Garrett Reid brought home George Youngblood on an RBI single in the fifth inning.
Price Thornton pitched six innings, giving up one run on two hits with one strikeout and three walks.
Reid closed out the seventh inning, allowing no hits or runs with two strikeouts.
The Tigers had all the momentum going into the final at-bat for Bibb County in Game Two, leading 3-1 going into the top of the seventh and final inning.
The game had been deadlocked at 0-0 until Bibb County plated a run in the top of the sixth, but Deshler responded when Brycen Williams reached on a fielder’s choice and brought home Warren Johnson.
Austin King then singled through the left side, bringing in Williams and Thornton.
The Tigers were only three outs away from the ultimate prize, validation for all the years of effort put in by the coaches and players.
But Bibb County rallied. A single, a hit by pitch and a wild pitch set up a two-RBI single followed by a RBI single, and just like that, the contest was tied.
The two teams would battle through extra innings until the Choctaws finally plated three more runs in the top of the 10th, with Deshler unable to answer.
The Tigers, who had been three outs away from the trophy, were now once again an entire game away, with Bibb County taking all momentum into the deciding third game.
Reid pitched a complete game for DHS in Game Two, giving up six runs on 14 hits with 12 strikeouts and no walks.
The Choctaws struck first in the rubber match, a single run in the bottom of the first inning.
Deshler managed to hold its opponent scoreless over the next three innings but failed to produce any runs of its own.
Finally, in the top of the fifth, King hit an RBI single that plated Williams to tie the contest at 1-1.
In the sixth, the Tigers took a 3-1 lead after an RBI double by Jacob Alexander brought in Reid, and a single by McKinney led to Tripp Clark coming home after an error by Bibb County.
Just like that, the Tigers were again up 3-1 heading into the seventh and final inning of regulation.
However, things would be different this time around.
In the top of the seventh inning, Nash Adams singled to right field, with Adrian Byram coming in to pinch run.
Byram stole second, and Cam Fuller drew a walk.
Reid grounded out to third base but advanced the runners to second and third.
Alexander was intentionally walked to load the bases but create a force out at any base with two outs. Carter Boyet was brought in to pinch run for Alexander.
Up to the plate came Thornton with a chance to really put Deshler in the driver’s seat going into the bottom of the inning.
Thornton cracked the ball into left field, and just like that, the bases were cleared. A three-RBI double scored Boyet, Fuller and Byram and put the Tigers up 6-1.
Alexander took the mound, three outs away from a state title. He had pitched a gem to that point, giving up one run on three hits with three strikeouts and one walk.
The first Choctaw batter grounded out to second. Two outs away.
The next struck out swinging. One more out.
One last swing. One final strikeout.
Deshler had won its first-ever state title in baseball.
Alexander’s hat flew off as he flung his glove into the air. He roared at his teammates before Judson Lindsey tackled him to the ground.
Within moments, every member of the Tigers, coaches included, were in a pile on the pitcher’s mound, a classic celebration in baseball after winning the big game.
“What a year,” said Deshler head baseball coach Justin Cantrell on social media. “So proud of these guys. The first team in Deshler Baseball history to bring home the blue map. Thank you to all my assistant coaches for the help this year. We and I could not have done it without you all. It’s great to be a Deshler Tiger!!”
When the team came home from JSU to Tuscumbia, they were given a heroes’ return at Heinie Manush Field.
A celebration to cap an incredible season.
