Marianna’s Mathis Hero In Game Three By Clint Cox

By Clint Cox


Marianna’s own Jeff Mathis stroked a walk off game winning double in game three of Major League Baseball’s American League Championships to give the Angels a 5-4 win over the New York Yankees. The Yankees held a 2-0 lead in the series after winning game two in extra innings and game three was tied 4-4 at the end of nine innings. In the bottom of the eleventh, with two outs Howie Kendrick singled to get on base. Mathis then ripped a shot to the gap in deep left center and Kendrick came home to seal the win.

Mathis has shared catching duties this year with Mike Napoli and had hit .211 during the regular season. But his bat has heated up in the playoffs as this was his third late inning extra base hit of the series with the Yankees. For his efforts Mathis was interviewed after the game by ESPN. That post game TV interview was about the same time that many folks in town and the area were sitting down for supper and turning on their TV. And what they saw was ole “Pup” (Mathis’s nickname in high school). “Obviously, it’s the biggest hit of my life,” Mathis told ESPN. “For Howie to have the at-bat he did right there, and to get on base and put one in the gap to win the game, it’s a pretty good feeling.”

Mathis was an all around outstanding athlete at Marianna High School, being one of the key members of the football team that finished as State Runner Up in the 2000 season and the Bulldog baseball squad that captured a State Championship in 1999. He is the son of Danny and Bunnee Mathis and the grandson of Judy and the late Ed Revell and Dalton and the late Elizabeth Mathis.