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Marion Local players celebrate after defeating Wayne Trace 5-4 to win the Division VI district baseball title at Upper Scioto Valley on Friday. It's the second straight season the Flyers will advance to the regional tournament.
McGUFFEY - The phrase "Brookhart to Osterholt to Knapke" doesn't roll off the tongue like "Tinker to Evers to Chance."
But to Marion Local baseball fans, it was the sweetest words Friday night.
The Flyers turned a 6-4-3 to complete a come-from-behind 5-4 victory over Wayne Trace in the Division VI district championship game at Steve Rolston Field at Upper Scioto Valley High School.
Marion (14-13), making its second straight regional trip, travels to Garrold Parratt Field at Patrick Henry High School next Wednesday at 2 p.m. for a semifinal matchup with Seneca East, a 4-1 winner over Ashland Crestview at the Marathon Diamonds in Findlay. The Raiders end their season at 13-12.
"To get this far, you've got to get a few breaks," said Flyers coach Mitch Hays. "To me, that was one of the breaks we got."
Wayne Trace jumped out early on Flyer starting pitcher Ben Meier, scoring twice in the first and another run in the third as errors resulted in all the Raiders' runs being unearned.
Jonathan Sterrett was sharp over the first four innings for Wayne Trace. The junior struck out the side in the first and did not allow a base hit until Andrew Schmackers hit a one-out infield single in the bottom of the third.
Luke Everman took to the mound in the fourth and allowed a run on Brody Rosswurm's single that scored Blake Noggle, but in the bottom of the fourth, Marion turned things around quickly.
Marion Local catcher Seth Heitkamp applies the tag to Wayne Trace's Brody Rosswurm.
Ethan Osterholt led off with a single, followed by a bloop single by Seth Heitkamp. Derek Knapke was then hit by a pitch to load the bases for Landyne Minton, who singled to score Osterholt for the first Flyer run. Kam Eifert made it 4-2 with an RBI single of his own. Raiders coach Chris Rosswurm saw enough and called on Deklyn Schweinsberg to try and get out of trouble. Meier greeted the Raider reliever with a shot down the first base line for a double, scoring Knapke and Minton to tie the game at 4-all. Schweinsberg got the first out of the inning on a Schmackers fly ball. Isaac Moeller grounded to third, with the throw going home to force out Eifert for the second out. The bases were loaded again as Trey Brookhart walked to bring up Osterholt, who worked the count full before walking to score Meier for the go-ahead run. Schweinsberg got a strikeout to end the inning.
Marion Local's Isaac Moeller fields the ball during Friday's game against Wayne Trace in McGuffey.
Everman gave up a lead-off single to Carter Clemens to start the fifth before retiring the next three batters. In the sixth, a Flyer error allowed another baserunner before Everman closed the door.
Marion had a chance to add to the lead in the bottom of the sixth as Meier reached third base, but Brody Rosswurm got three strikeouts to send the game to the seventh.
Everman got the seventh started by striking out Sterrett before walking Clemens. Caden Sinn then hit a Texas Leaguer for a single to put runners at first and third with one out and Jack Schoenauer at the plate. After taking a ball, Schoenauer grounded to Brookhart at shortstop, who tossed to second baseman Osterholt. Osterholt then fired the ball to first base, where Knapke secured the ball for the third out to send Flyer players into celebration.
"We've played all good teams in the tournament, so you have to have a lucky break to win it," said Hays.
Everman scattered four hits and a walk over the final four innings to get the win.
"That's our pitching staff. We don't have pitchers that will overpower hitters," said Hays. "They've got to hit their spots and have the (defense) help themselves out. That's the only way we can win games, but our pitchers looked great."
After losing their regular season finale to Fort Loramie, the Flyers have battled through the postseason, winning 12-11 over Allen East before shutting out Columbus Grove in the district semifinals before Friday's win. Even at 14-13, Hays likes how his team his playing now.
"I won't weaken our schedule because we may not win the MAC or have a great record at the end of the year, but I want to be able to compete in games like this," said Hays. "I think that's starting to show up in our program."
