Ads explode for season-opening win over Catholic
More than two hours later, the Farragut senior ripped a 373-foot solo shot toward Weigel’s on Fox Lonas Road.
The home run made up just one part of an explosive ending for FHS (1-0), as the Admirals began their push for a fifth straight Class 4A state title with an 8-0 rout over Knoxville Catholic (0-1).
Brummitt, a Pellissippi State signee, picked up the win to begin his final year in navy. Together, he and fellow Admiral hurlers Braiden Meredith and Cash Shroeder allowed just four hits with 14 strikeouts.
“He did a good job, and that’s what we’re expecting from him, to hit every game and pitch once a week,” second-year coach Garrett Copeland said of Brummitt. “That’s what we’re hoping from him all year. And all our pitchers did a good job, only giving up four hits with 14 strikeouts in seven innings. They competed in the strike zone, which is what we ask of them.”
Brummitt gave up three hits across three innings of work, fanning four. Shroeder and Meredith struck out seven and three, respectively, as they each issued one walk.
Their gritty performances kept the Irish at bay while Farragut worked out some kinks at the plate.
Prior to seven runs in the last two innings, the Admirals’ only run came off a sliding score by Caleb Van Lant on a passed ball in the top of the second. Otherwise, FHS put runners on with walks and hits by pitch. But groundouts and strikeouts prevented any more damage for the first five innings in 2026, as a jumble of nerves seemed to zip through the visiting dugout.
“In the beginning, we just had bad approaches at the plate,” Copeland lamented. “Our guys were excited to be playing again, but unfortunately, baseball isn’t really an excitement sport. So I think it took a couple times through the order to let the jitters and nerves get out of their system and settle in. They love to play and compete, and it means a lot to them.
“So I think we were a little too anxious trying to force things to happen rather than just playing, and it just took a few times to make that happen.”
Once things began to click, Farragut capitalized. Matthew Morrison pinch-hit in the top of the sixth, and Van Lant scored his second run of the game on a wild pitch to make the score 2-0.
Neyland Williams pushed the lead to 3-0 moments later, sprinting home after Morrison knocked a sacrifice fly to center.
Jake Harris added two more runs on a two-out, two-RBI single to left, scoring Zain Kureshi-Smith and Mason Shelton. One inning later, Brummitt blasted a 1-1 pitch for a 6-0 lead before two straight singles put runners on first and second.
Finally, Cole Creasman hit a two-RBI double to score Van Lant and Williams, and Meredith recorded three strikeouts with one walk in the bottom of the seventh to cap things off.
The onslaught forced Catholic to burn through its bullpen, rotating through five different arms in less than two innings.
Brummitt ended the night at 2-for-3 with an RBI, a walk and the homer, while Van Lant went 2-for-4 with 1-for-2 efforts from Williams and Creasy.
For Catholic, Connor York went 2-for-3 at the plate, and Conor Hussey went 1-for-1. The Irish looked to regroup against Concord Christian on Thursday, and Farragut faced Nolensville one day later.
