Wildcats walk-off as Div. II SHAC champions
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
Arms raised in the air in triumph, Whiteoak senior Luke Taggert raced around third and crossed home plate for the game-winning run, as Whiteoak officially celebrated as the outright Division II Southern Hills Athletic Conference champions, winning 2-1 eight-innings over rival Fayetteville.
Not only did Taggert score, but it was how the entire bottom half of the eighth went down for the Wildcats that showed they have something special brewing thus far this season.
Taggert led off the Wildcat half of the eighth by doubling off the fence in right field. Zach Docter was next to bat. He didn't get on base, but he showed the Wildcats' toughness.
[[In-content Ad]]Docter went to bunt the baseball on the first pitch of the at-bat in an effort to move Taggert over to third, but as he bunted the ball, it bounced off his nose, causing a delay in the action. Despite being a little woozy with a bloody nose, Docter went back to the plate after the bleeding was stopped.
Even though he recorded an out, the Wildcats responded in the ensuing at-bat as Gage Carraher sent the ball to left field, scoring Taggert for the one-run win.
"When you look at the whole situation, this day was about senior leadership," WHS head coach Chris Veidt said. "All of the work they put in … they've believed and fought, and that's what wins championships.
"Zach (Docter), the first thing he said to me when I got to him after he was hit by the baseball, with blood running out of his nose, was 'I'm hitting.' I told him if he does … he's not bunting."
In their first meeting at Fayetteville, WHS also won by a 2-1 score over the '12 champions of Division II, where they also scored the game-winning run in the eighth.
The victory puts WHS at 11-0 in the conference, good enough to clinch the Division II title with two SHAC games remaining. Though the championship is nice, WHS has more goals in mind, including finishing out the conference slate with a perfect mark.
WHS now has nine conference baseball titles in school history, with '13 being their fourth in the past six seasons.
"Again, this goes back to our seniors, all of them," Veidt said. "The seniors delivered in the eighth, and this whole team knows how to have fun. They know how to turn it on and off."
Getting to the extra inning for the Wildcats, they had to come from behind as they trailed 1-0 after the third inning as Dion Barber scored on a RBI double to left field with two outs for Fayetteville.
The host Wildcats tied the score in the bottom of the fourth with Docter scoring on a double by Carraher as he had both RBIs for WHS, hitting the first pitch of the at-bat, sending it to centerfield.
WHS improves to 14-5 overall.
In their SHAC games thus far this season, the Wildcats have not allowed more than three runs in a game, including four shutouts and five one-run games. They have outscored their SHAC foes 78-11 in 11 conference games.
The Wildcats totaled six hits and three walks with Carraher leading at 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Tyler Williams also collected two hits (2-for-3). Taggert and Docter each had one hit, while Jesse Bradds, Taggert and Kyle Marler each drew a walk.
The Rockets left three runners stranded at third and two on second.
Carraher, who threw 116 pitches, was also the winning pitcher as he improves to 6-0 on the season with an ERA of 0.69 as he's allowed three earned runs this season in 39 innings pitched. Against Fayetteville, Carraher allowed one earned run on four hits and three walks, with just one of the hits going for extra bases. The WHS senior struck out 11, bringing his season total to 66.
"Gage is a bulldog," Veidt said. "I like the kids who you have to turn the dial down on, and he's one of the kids we have to do that with. Gage had good stuff and was on just four days rest.
"I didn't make up my mind until late, but I wanted to pitch him in this game."
The WHS senior ace didn't allow the final 10 Fayetteville batters to get a hit, with just one reaching base via walk. Carraher retired the final eight batters he faced, four by strikeout.
Gaining the four Rocket hits were Barber, Max Iles, Scotty Mullis and Wilson. The loss went to Casey Boyer as he allowed two earned runs on six hits and three walks. He struck out nine.
WHS will play in a non-conference game on Wednesday as they host Cedarville at 5 p.m. On Thursday, they will travel to face SHAC and Highland County foe Lynchburg-Clay at 5 p.m.
Not only did Taggert score, but it was how the entire bottom half of the eighth went down for the Wildcats that showed they have something special brewing thus far this season.
Taggert led off the Wildcat half of the eighth by doubling off the fence in right field. Zach Docter was next to bat. He didn't get on base, but he showed the Wildcats' toughness.
[[In-content Ad]]Docter went to bunt the baseball on the first pitch of the at-bat in an effort to move Taggert over to third, but as he bunted the ball, it bounced off his nose, causing a delay in the action. Despite being a little woozy with a bloody nose, Docter went back to the plate after the bleeding was stopped.
Even though he recorded an out, the Wildcats responded in the ensuing at-bat as Gage Carraher sent the ball to left field, scoring Taggert for the one-run win.
"When you look at the whole situation, this day was about senior leadership," WHS head coach Chris Veidt said. "All of the work they put in … they've believed and fought, and that's what wins championships.
"Zach (Docter), the first thing he said to me when I got to him after he was hit by the baseball, with blood running out of his nose, was 'I'm hitting.' I told him if he does … he's not bunting."
In their first meeting at Fayetteville, WHS also won by a 2-1 score over the '12 champions of Division II, where they also scored the game-winning run in the eighth.
The victory puts WHS at 11-0 in the conference, good enough to clinch the Division II title with two SHAC games remaining. Though the championship is nice, WHS has more goals in mind, including finishing out the conference slate with a perfect mark.
WHS now has nine conference baseball titles in school history, with '13 being their fourth in the past six seasons.
"Again, this goes back to our seniors, all of them," Veidt said. "The seniors delivered in the eighth, and this whole team knows how to have fun. They know how to turn it on and off."
Getting to the extra inning for the Wildcats, they had to come from behind as they trailed 1-0 after the third inning as Dion Barber scored on a RBI double to left field with two outs for Fayetteville.
The host Wildcats tied the score in the bottom of the fourth with Docter scoring on a double by Carraher as he had both RBIs for WHS, hitting the first pitch of the at-bat, sending it to centerfield.
WHS improves to 14-5 overall.
In their SHAC games thus far this season, the Wildcats have not allowed more than three runs in a game, including four shutouts and five one-run games. They have outscored their SHAC foes 78-11 in 11 conference games.
The Wildcats totaled six hits and three walks with Carraher leading at 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Tyler Williams also collected two hits (2-for-3). Taggert and Docter each had one hit, while Jesse Bradds, Taggert and Kyle Marler each drew a walk.
The Rockets left three runners stranded at third and two on second.
Carraher, who threw 116 pitches, was also the winning pitcher as he improves to 6-0 on the season with an ERA of 0.69 as he's allowed three earned runs this season in 39 innings pitched. Against Fayetteville, Carraher allowed one earned run on four hits and three walks, with just one of the hits going for extra bases. The WHS senior struck out 11, bringing his season total to 66.
"Gage is a bulldog," Veidt said. "I like the kids who you have to turn the dial down on, and he's one of the kids we have to do that with. Gage had good stuff and was on just four days rest.
"I didn't make up my mind until late, but I wanted to pitch him in this game."
The WHS senior ace didn't allow the final 10 Fayetteville batters to get a hit, with just one reaching base via walk. Carraher retired the final eight batters he faced, four by strikeout.
Gaining the four Rocket hits were Barber, Max Iles, Scotty Mullis and Wilson. The loss went to Casey Boyer as he allowed two earned runs on six hits and three walks. He struck out nine.
WHS will play in a non-conference game on Wednesday as they host Cedarville at 5 p.m. On Thursday, they will travel to face SHAC and Highland County foe Lynchburg-Clay at 5 p.m.