Nationally ranked Providence sprints past South Meck, into NCHSAA quarterfinals

Tim Donelli
·3 min read

Providence High School is moving on.

The Panthers, ranked No. 3 in America, advanced to the fourth round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs with a 9-1 win over rival South Mecklenburg.

Up next for the Panthers? Friday’s 4A Western Regional semifinal against West Forsyth Friday at 6:30 p.m. West Forsyth advanced with a 10-0 victory Tuesday over Ragsdale.

“It’s going to be a war,” Providence coach Danny Hignight said of Friday’s matchup. “Those guys are good, they’re very athletic, they’re hot and they’re very well coached.”

Panther’s ace pitcher, South Carolina commit Eli Jerzembeck, went the seven-inning distance to stay unbeaten on the season. Jerzembeck struck out 17 South Meck hitters and yielded only four hits while walking just one. South Meck starter Ed Anglin gave a good account of himself going 3.1 innings while yielding only two hits, two earned runs, striking out three and walking three. The Sabres used four pitchers in all.

The Panthers never trailed in the game and got the only runs they needed in the bottom of the third inning.

Lead-off batter David Garfinkle was hit by a pitch and took first base. A fielder’s choice advanced Garfinkle to second. Then a single by Luke Wolff plated Garfinkle for a 1-0 Providence lead. Wolff stole second and then tagged up and advanced to third on a flyout to deep right center field. Wolff then scored on a wild pitch by Anglin to increase the Providence advantage to 2-0.

In the bottom of the fourth inning the Panthers got their third run of the game as Tyler Khanolker scored on a perfect suicide-squeeze bunt by Garfinkle.

“We practice it every day,” said Garfinkle. “Coach (Hignight) gave me the sign and you just have to keep your breath and execute it, and that’s what I did.”

South Meck got its only run in the sixth inning when Brody Taylor homered deep to left center field off Jerzembeck.

The Panthers put four runs up on the board in its half of the sixth inning to put the game away.

THREE WHO MATTERED

David Garfinkle, Providence: Senior outfielder scored the Panthers’ first run in the third inning and got an RBI on a perfectly placed suicide squeeze bunt in the fourth inning while going 1-for-2 for the game.

Ed Anglin, South Meck: Junior Sabres ‘ starting pitcher did not pitch badly going 3 1/3 innings and giving up just two runs, only two hits while striking out three and walking three.

Eli Jerzembeck, Providence: Senior Panthers’ pitcher continued his one-of-a-kind season with another dominant pitching performance including striking out 17 of the 25 batters he faced.

WORTH MENTIONING

  • South Meck advanced to Tuesday’s with an opening-round 6-4 victory over East Forsyth, and then a second-round, extra-inning, 7-6 win over Lake Norman.

  • Providence advanced to the third round by dominating both Guilford high schools. The Panthers got an opening-round 11-1 win over Southeast Guilford and then trounced Southwest Guilford 12-2 in its second-round matchup.

  • Providence leadoff batter Sam Dansky homered deep over the left field wall in the fifth inning for the fifth Panthers’ run.

  • Panthers’ Tommy Walker was internationally walked twice by South Meck.

  • In three playoff games Providence has outscored its opponents 32-4.

THEY SAID IT

“Tonight I’m going to congratulate them because wins are really, really hard to come by especially this time of year. Then I’m going to tell them we have to get better tomorrow and we’re going to go to work.” Providence coach Danny Hignight on what he was going to tell his players after Tuesday’s win over South Meck.

RECORDS: South Meck (15-12, 6-4), Providence (30-0, 12-0)

WHAT’S NEXT: South Meck’s season is over with the loss, while Providence will advance to the 4A Western Conference Final on Friday at home at 6:30 p.m. hosting the West Forsyth Titans.

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