The Oak Ridge Wildcats faced the Farragut Admirals in a TSSAA District 4-4A game on John Heatherly Field on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Oak Ridge won 11-4. (Photo by Danny Parker)
BY JESSE SMITHEY
MURFREESBORO — There’s a sure-fire way to get your probability of making a title-game appearance on the rise, and that’s by winning your first two games in a TSSAA baseball state tournament bracket.
Just ask Farragut.
The Admirals have won 14 titles all-time — including four in a row — and now are back in the driver’s seat to possibly play for a fifth consecutive championship.
Farragut knocked off Nolensville, 8-2, on Wednesday at host-site Oakland High to move to 2-0 on the week. And, it ran Farragut’s state tournament win streak to 18 games in a row.
The Admirals will have to be beaten twice on Thursday to not reach the state championship game.
Garza Law is the proud sponsor of 5Star Preps’ 2026 TSSAA Spring Fling state championship coverage May 19-22 in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
But as for what team Farragut will play on Thursday, that is still to be determined.
Given the weather delays that transpired Wednesday in Rutherford County, many of the elimination games were played deep into the night. So, next, Farragut will play the winning of Wednesday night’s Collierville-Nolensville game in Thursday’s semifinal round.
The first pitch, weather permitting, will be at 2 p.m. Central time at Oakland High School.
Winning the Wednesday afternoon game against Nolensville proved significant towards preserving Farragut’s push toward a fifth consecutive title, as the Admirals didn’t have to labor deep into the hours of Wednesday night nor deal with a quick turnaround to Thursday’s play.
“That one game today was the only thing known today; everything else is dependent on weather,” Farragut coach Garrett Copeland. “You could be delayed. You could play late. You could have to play early in the morning.
“So getting that win (against Nolensville) and being able to sit back and relax is good for our club.”
Farragut (34-10) jumped to a 5-0 lead on Nolensville thanks to the 5-spot the Admirals posted in the top of the second inning, highlight by senior Travis Brummitt Jr.’s three-run homer. Brummitt added an RBI-single in the fourth.
But the pitching of senior lefty Bradley Wade — who closed out Farragut’s touch-and-go Tuesday win — came through in the clutch again on Wednesday. He finished with 3.1 relief innings pitched and allowed just one hit. He struck out four and walked one.
Wade squashed a two-on, one-out jam in the bottom of the fourth and then coasted into the seventh. He exited with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to a huge ovation by the Farragut crowd. Brody Watkins got the final out for Farragut on a fly out to left.
“He’s been great. He’s a lefty who throws multiple pitches for strikes, and in the high school game, that works,” Copeland said. “Obviously, he doesn’t have top-end, but he can mix it well and hit spots. He can throw strikes and multiple pitches in any count.
“So, it’s good to see him be successful.”