Corinth Holders baseball wins thrilling G1 over Providence in the 8A championship series

HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. — Cash turned out to be money for Corinth Holders with the game on the line.

It ended the Providence Panthers' 29-game winning streak.

Down to its final strike, Corinth Holders got a two-out, two-run single from Eli Cash to score Tripp Johnson and Alex Houseman in the top of the seventh inning to square game one of the 8A N.C. High School Athletic Association State Baseball Championship Series with Providence on Friday night.

In the eighth, Hampton Gibbs scored off a sacrifice fly hit to centerfield by Johnson for the game-winning run as the Pirates rallied past Providence 4-3 in eight innings to take game one of the best-of-three series at North Main Athletic Complex in Holly Springs.

Junior Ethan Street threw two innings of scoreless relief to earn the win. Starter Brayden Driver was replaced after the fifth inning, with the Panthers leading 3-1 going into the seventh inning.

• View Photos: Corinth Holders vs. Providence, Game 1 (May 29, 2026). HSOT Insiders can download championship photos for free. Here's how.

"I just told them to keep their heads in it," said Corinth Holders head coach Adam Weaver. "They just ended to keep chipping away and chipping away."

Gibbs lined to left field to lead off the eighth. Following a sacrifice bunt by Tanner Day, Gibbs went to second, then took third off a throwing error by Providence catcher Eli Webb. It was the only Panther error of the game.

Johnson's fly ball was chased down by Jaxon Haynes, who bumped into teammate Asher Lyon in the process. Gibbs scored easily from third.

With the stands decorated in purple and gold as hundreds of Corinth Holders fans made the 45-minute drive from Wendell, Corinth Holders improved to 23-5.

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It was Providence's first loss since February 28. Searching for its fourth state championship, the Panthers fall to 30-2.

Game two is slated for Saturday at 2PM.

Gibbs atoned for an error that changed the game in the fifth.

With one out, Providence’s Jack Pejot reached on a dropped pop-up to first base. Corinth head coach Adam Weaver argued that Pejot bumped into Gibbs, the first baseman, leading to the ball hitting the ground, but his appeal was unsuccessful.

Jaxon Haynes knifed a single to left field to send Pejot to third, and the speedy Haynes immediately took second on the throw. Whit McCammon put the Panthers ahead with a line drive to right field to score Perot and Haynes.

After squandering chances in the opening two innings, the Panthers broke through in the third. Following an opposite field single by Pejot, Haynes sent a grounder to second. Coming up with the ball deep in the hole, second baseman Kian Richardson hesitated when two players raced to cover first, leading to an errant throw that rolled towards the Pirates dugout along the first base line. After McCammon walked to load the bases, Lyon grounded over to shortstop Alex Houseman, who stepped on second, but the subsequent throw to first trickled away from Gibbs, which would have ended the game. Houseman kept the game tied after three when he snatched a grounder hit by Jackson Debe deep in the hole and delivered a fadeaway throw to retire Lyon at second and end the inning.

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While cowbells sounded from the Pirates faithful, Corinth Holders took the lead in the second when Tripp Johnson dropped a single into centerfield to score Eli Cash, who walked to lead off the frame.

After a walk to Providence's Jackson Debe in the fifth, Driver and Street retired ten consecutive Panthers to end the game.

On February 28, Weddington defeated Providence 5-2 in Charlotte, the only other loss by the Panthers this season.

The Pirates will look to win its first state championship in any sport in the 16-year history of the school on Saturday.

"They know what's on the line," Weaver said. "With all the fan support and the community behind us, they've got something to play for."

Corinth Holders Edward Evans and Providence’s Chase Khanolkar were honored with Sportsmanship awards by the N.C. High School Athletic Association during the pregame ceremony.

Box Score

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