Millersburg No. 1 earns Holmes County Farm A Tournament championship
"This win shows all the hard work our players, coaches and parents have put into the season," said Patterson, after his team put up a 10-run sixth inning, earning them the championship after finishing fourth the two previous seasons.
"We have finished fourth the last two seasons, so winning this season feels good because we have been close in the past," Patterson continued.
Millersburg No. 1 was more than close to the championship this season. They are the champions.
To earn the title of champion though, Millersburg No. 1 needed to get past Killbuck No. 1, a team they beat in the winner's bracket final two nights before by a score of 5-0. But according to Killbuck coach Scott Balder, he knew his team would be up to the challenge of trying to beat Millersburg No. 1 this time around.
"We have improved a hundred percent during the season and then during the tournament we were able to score runs and have some comeback wins," said Balder.
This time around, Killbuck No. 1 would have to come from behind again as Millersburg No. 1 was able to score three runs in the top half of the first inning with the big hit being a two-out single by Carrick Miller that plated two runs. And Millersburg No. 1 would take the lead. Could Killbuck No. 1 come back?
In the bottom of the first, Killbuck catcher John Hughes had an RBI single before Millersburg pitcher Evan Yoder got a groundout to end the frame, leaving two Killbuck runners stranded on the base paths and Millersburg led 3-1 early on.
Killbuck was able to keep it close through the first three innings, entering the top of the fourth inning only trailing Millersburg 5-4. Killbuck also stranded five runners in those first three innings, not helping their chances for the comeback or even the lead after three innings.
In the top of the fourth inning, Millersburg's top of the lineup came through and added to the one run lead, opening up the game and making their lives easier in the later innings, knowing Killbuck was capable of a comeback.
In that top of the fourth, Millersburg starting second basemen and lead-off hitter Mark Biltz plated Jessie Miller with a single, Kaden Patterson followed with an RBI double and then clean up hitter Kendrick Wagler plated two runs with an RBI double he smoked to right center.
"It meant a lot for me to have three RBIs and help our team win the championship. It means a lot to our team," said Wagler after the game.
Wagler's three hits and three RBIs led Millersburg. Wagler also said that his favorite baseball player was a teammate: "Evan Yoder, he's on our team!" Very encouraging to see this type of camaraderie amongst teammates.
The camaraderie led to five fourth-inning runs and Millersburg had a lead that Killbuck would not recover from. Or would they?
In the bottom of the fifth inning, with Killbuck trailing 9-4, Millersburg pitcher Kaden Patterson, who was on the hill in relief of starting pitcher Evan Yoder, loaded the bases with three walks and Killbuck suddenly had the tying run in the on deck circle. Here was their chance to get back in. However, Patterson was able to strike out two hitters to end the inning. Amazingly, he didn't give up a hit in 2 1/3 innings pitched. He had four walks and five strikeouts in those innings, but never allowed a hit or run, allowing Millersburg to keep their commanding lead. And keeping Killbuck from making another one of their heroic comebacks.
Millersburg would go on to plate 10 runs in the top half of the sixth inning and blow the game wide open.
Killbuck was not going to come back from that deficit and the game ended with Millersburg running off the field congratulating each other and throwing their gloves in the air, winning the Holmes County Farm A championship.
Millersburg second basemen Mark Biltz might have put it best, saying, "it was a special day for our team."
For Killbuck, John Hughes was 2-2 with two singles, a RBI and a stolen base. Dillion McVicker had a single and stuck out two hitters while on the mound.
For Millersburg, Mark Biltz was 2-4 with two singles, one RBI and three runs. Kaden Patterson was 3-4 with two singles, a double, one RBI and four runs and Kendrick Wagler was 3-5 with two singles a double and three RBIs.
Published: June 25, 2011
