We did everything but win - Defensive gems rob Knights of shot at the ultimate prize at State tourney
Keaton Leppla stood frozen in time beyond first base, hands on hips, staring into nowhere, West Holmes coach Kevin Bamford consoling him. Knights starting pitcher Gabe Snyder sat on the bench, head in hands, thinking about what might have been. Senior catcher Cody Dial, playing in his final high school baseball game, sat on the bench, tears streaming down his face.Those are the kinds of emotions that accompany being robbed of a chance to play in the State final.The Knights had played well enough to win their Div. II State semifinal game at Columbus, but Wapakoneta had made just enough plays to send West Holmes a 3-2 loss, ending their season one game short of where they had their hearts set on being.And it wasnt as if the Knights had played poorly. They had put themselves in position to win. If not for four sensational plays, it would have been a Knights win, a celebration of advancing. As it was, the Indians came up with four web gems that propelled them into the finals.We did everything but win, said West Holmes coach Kurt McDowell. Thats because the Knights got robbed, their win stolen away by some defensive plays that will haunt them for a while before they realize just how great a season they had.The first play came courtesy of Redskins shortstop Josh Apple, who aside from banging out three hits in the game, flagged down a Keaton Leppla smash through the hole between third and short that Apple gunned across the field for the third out, that with a runner on third. The next time it was Apple again, performing an instant replay of the previous play, only this time off the bat of Levi Jones, whose liner looked for all the world like it was going into left field to tie the game in the fifth.Then there was the picture perfect relay through from deep center field in the sixth. After Leppla had led off with a sharp single to left, he was pinch run for by Clay Stutzman. Gabe Snyder then hit a chopper to first, where Wapakoneta first baseman Brandon Miller grabbed it and threw to second, his throw careening off the sliding Stutzman. With runners on first and second, Dial hit a massive fly ball to center. Stutzman tagged up, and center fielder Caleb Zwiebel hit Apple, who turned and rifled a strike to third base, where Marshall Gerlach slapped the tag on Stutzman for out number two. They made the play, said McDowell. Weve been aggressive all year, and I would do it again. They had to make a perfect play and they did.So many defensive gems, but there was still life when the Knights came to bat in the bottom of the inning trailing 3-1. With one out, Mason James reached base for the fourth time, oddly enough on an error by Apple, the Indian who had crushed two Knights rallies earlier. Vayden Wood singled, advancing to second on the throw to third. After Joey Gonzalez produced a run on a groundout to make it 3-2, moving Wood 90 feet from a tie game, it was time for the ultimate robbery, and the most heartbreaking play of the season for West Holmes.Leppla, who had no problem solving pitcher Johnny Crawford, who had stingily given up just five runs all season, laced an absolute bullet to center field. It was the game tying hit. Only Zwiebel had other ideas. The diminutive junior roared in, on a dead sprint, laid out parallel to the ground and picked Lepplas tortured liner out of the air inches before it hit the turf.What a thrill, said Zwiebel, who had pulled off every Little Leaguers dream of making the game-winning catch at the State tournament. I really didnt think I had a chance of catching it while I was on the move, but he hit it so hard that it just kept carrying. I felt it go in, and I rolled over and I knew it was in my glove, and that is just the best feeling in the world.For Zwiebel, and his teammates, sure. For the Knights, it was anything but. They had been robbed of their victory, or at least a shot at it, by no less than four spectacular defensive plays.I cant even describe exactly how I feel right now, it is the worst feeling in the world, said Wood, who was so close to home plate in the bottom of the seventh he could practically smell it. I just want to go home and do absolutely nothing for the next 10 days. I thought it was tied. I thought it was down. He made a heck of a play.So it would be Wapakoneta (25-5) going on to play in the State finals, and not the Knights (23-7).But while the bitter sting of the loss will certainly remain for some time, sooner or later the Knights and their fans will realize exactly how special this season was. After all, no Knights team had even won a District title let alone been to State since 1966.At some point, the hurt will ebb, the memory of what might have been will fade and they will remember all of the great times in a season full of shining moments.But not yet.We want to get right back here next year, said Leppla. We were too close. Weve got a lot back, and wed love a shot at playing this team again (the Indians have everyone back next year). This gives us a lot of incentive to take it a step further.And hopefully, if there is a next time, grand larceny wont be in the cards for the Knights.To read Joe Millers game story, and to see plenty of more action shots from the game, visit our website at www.HolmesBargainHunter.com.
