For Millard West, the l-o-n-g wait for the school’s first state baseball championship is finally over.
The Wildcats outlasted Millard South 2-1 in 11 innings at Sherman Field on Friday to secure that elusive title. It was especially sweet for Millard West, which has finished as the Class A tournament runner-up seven times since 2000.
“We’ve waited for this for a long time,” senior first baseman Ryan David said. “To finally get this championship for the school and for coach (Steve) Frey is amazing.”
David delivered the big hit, belting an RBI single into left field with two outs in the top of the 11th. That scored Kyan Lodice, who had opened the inning with a walk and stolen second.
“I got a good pitch and I hit it hard,” David said. “Getting that hit was like a dream come true.”
Lodice said he never considered stopping at third.
“I was coming home,’’ he said. “Nothing was going to stop me.’’
The game was a high-anxiety pitchers duel in front of a boisterous crowd that packed the Sherman grandstand. Caleb Riedel drew the start for the Wildcats, who had not surrendered a run in four previous state tourney games.
Pitching for the Patriots was Jayden Payne, who already had a win and a save in the tournament. The battle of left-handers made for one of the most dramatic games of the season.
“It was extremely nerve-wracking,” Riedel said. “I was pacing in the dugout like crazy.”
Riedel found himself in immediate trouble when Millard South loaded the bases with none out in the first inning. He struck out Noah Greise before Noah Unzicker hit a short roller up the third-base line.
Millard West third baseman Tristan Gomes charged the ball and scooped it with his glove to catcher Jackson Meier for the force play at home. Riedel then got out of the inning with a strikeout of Kutty George.
David, who would have his moment in the spotlight 10 innings later, said he couldn’t believe Gomes’ defensive gem.
“For Tristan to make that play was huge,” he said. “I was jumping up and down so hard I thought I was going to break a blood vessel in my head.”
Frey, Millard West’s coach, said the first inning was a big key to victory.
“To get out of that inning was really big,” he said. “It set the tone for the whole day.”
Gomes’ play loomed even larger as the teams struggled to put much together against either starter. After eight innings, the Wildcats had three hits and the Patriots two.
Millard West finally broke through in the ninth off Millard South reliever Matt Guthmiller. Garrett Kennedy led off with a double to right and eventually scored when Gomes drew a bases-loaded walk.
The Patriots fought back in the bottom of the ninth when Greise led off with a double. That spelled the end for Riedel, who had struck out 10 and walked four.
Max Anderson moved to the mound from shortstop but was unable to hold the lead. After a sacrifice by Unzicker, George delivered an RBI single to right to tie the game.
After both teams went down in order in the 10th, Millard West went back ahead in the 11th. Reliever Jarod Kojdecki then finished off the victory on a pop-up and two flyouts to left fielder Cohen Weaklend.
When Weaklend caught the final out, it triggered a boisterous dogpile in the infield — one that the Wildcats had been waiting so long to savor.
“These guys have had a lot of ups and downs over the course of their careers,” Frey said. “It’s great to see our seniors go out on top like this.”
It was a tough finish for the Patriots, who were seeking their first state title since 1980.
“It was a heck of a ballgame,” Millard South coach Greg Geary said. “Our starter (Payne) battled his tail off and our guys just kept on grinding the whole game.”
When it was over, the Millard West players held the trophy aloft. It quickly became apparent that the Wildcats won’t be content with just one piece of championship hardware.
“The first of many!” one player shouted. “Let’s go!”
Millard West (28-5)..............000 000 001 01—2 5 0
Millard South (23-10)...........000 000 001 00—1 4 0
W: Kojdecki. L: Guthmiller. 2B: MW, Lodice, Kennedy; MS, Greise.
