Wellston 17
Westfall 16
Westfall scored 9 runs in the top of the 7th to go ahead by the score of 16 to 9 and Wellston scored 8 runs in the bottom of the 7th to win 17 - 16 and advance to the District Championship game on sat versus Fairland. The game will be played at Unioto at 1:00 Sat.
Congratulations Rockets - Wellston 20 -7 on the season. WOW!
Wellton vs Westfall - District Semis
Wellton vs Westfall - District Semis
Last edited by CKIAF on Thu May 21, 2009 10:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Kenny Bixx
- JV Team
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Re: Wellton vs Westfall - District Semis
Derrow must be able to coach baseball, he sure cant coach basketball.
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Keyser_sozeThrice
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- Posts: 1954
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Re: Wellton vs Westfall - District Semis
Here is the game report. Some game it was indeed.
Kenny Bixx....We know you dislike Coach Derrow, as you keep posting over and over and over and over about it. That said, you will probably feel better if you just let it freakin' go.
bman...Always nice talking with a colleague. Good luck with the rest of your teams in the tournaments and on the track.
Rockets rally with eight runs to win 17-16 slugfest
By PAUL BOGGS
Sports Editor
CHILLICOTHE — It’s not over until it’s over.
Indeed, the Wellston High School baseball squad made Yogi Berra proud on Thursday in its Division III district semifinal tilt against Westfall.
After witnessing an early 3-0 lead quickly evaporate, the Golden Rockets staged not one but two dramatic comebacks on Thursday, including an amazing eight-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning to win a 17-16 slugfest at Unioto High School.
The Golden Rockets scored three runs on three hits in their initial at-bat, but didn’t score again until they erupted for six more in the bottom of the fifth to take a 9-7 lead.
Then, after Westfall went off for a stunning nine runs in the top of the seventh, and seized what seemed to be an insurmountable 16-9 advantage, the Rockets refueled for one last blastoff.
And that they did, scoring eight runs on only three hits, but taking advantage of two Mustang errors, three wild pitches, four walks and two hit batsmen.
With runners on second and third, and with two outs, junior Jeff Matteson smacked a single to left field to score senior Matt Lockard for the 17th, final and game-winning run.
Of the 33 total runs which were scored in the game, half of them came (17) in the seventh.
With the wild and wacky win, the Rockets raised their record to 20-7 overall and — more importantly — return to Unioto High School on Saturday for the Division III district championship.
Wellston will face Fairland for the district title, as the Dragons doubled up Crooksville 8-4 in another Division III district semifinal Thursday.
First pitch for Saturday’s championship bout is set for 1 p.m.
But regardless of facing favored Fairland on Saturday, Thursday’s heroic comeback will live in the proud tradition of Wellston baseball for many years to come.
It is unconfirmed if the rally marked the most runs the Rockets have ever overcome in a single-game last at-bat in school history.
“To win this game down seven runs going into the last at-bat, and still be down five with an out on us, it just shows the character of our kids,†said an exhausted but elated Wellston coach Jim Derrow. “We knew it was going to take a bunch of runs to win the game. We felt that coming in that both teams were very even. My hats off to Westfall, they battled and did a nice job to take the lead. Then we did a terrific job of just being patient at the plate and having great at-bats in our last inning. It’s just a tremendous comeback for our community and our school.â€
Wellston last played in the districts in 2003, as the Blue and Gold own 17 sectional championships in school history.
But its last district championship came in 1998, and was the final in the illustrious 32-year coaching career of former Wellston coach Pat Hendershott.
Hendershott’s successor, the third-year coach Derrow, now has his first district tournament win as the Rocket skipper.
Derrow, in 22 years as the head boys basketball coach at the school, has two district runner-up appearances.
He’ll be going for his first district title as a head coach in either sport on Saturday.
For a while on Thursday, though, those chances looked bleak, dire, hopeless and impossible.
Especially after Westfall exploded for nine runs on six hits, two walks, two Rocket errors, a hit batsman and a wild pitch.
A total of 13 Mustangs made a trip to the plate in the onslaught.
Wellston went through three pitchers in the seventh, as senior ace Slone Cales was relieved after an inning-opening error and a walk.
Reliever Matteson then hit a batter, and gave up a two-run bloop single to Joey LeMaster which tied the tilt at 9-9.
Derrow then relieved Matteson in favor of freshman Grant Thompson, but the Mustangs touched Thompson for seven runs on five hits, including a two-run double by Cody Link to the gap in left.
When the smoke cleared, the Rockets found themselves trailing 16-9 and in a dejected state.
“Our heads were down, and the guys didn’t think we were going to get it (win the game),†said Matteson. “But I told them to get up and that we’re going to get it. And we did. What was it, eight or nine runs in the last inning?â€
Who would have guessed that Wellston would respond with a dozen at-bats and eight runs of its own for its seventh straight win.
“Just great at-bats in the seventh,†said Derrow.
Those at-bats began with Lockard, who singled and advanced to second on an E-8.
Ryan Darnell drew a walk, and Matteson reached aboard on the second Mustang miscue of the inning.
Lockard made it 16-10 by scoring on the first wild pitch.
LeMaster, who relieved Westfall starter Zach Wolfe after the fifth, hit Tyler King with a pitch to load the bases with one out.
That prompted a pitching change, but the Mustangs’ Nathan Hock walked Thompson and gave up a bloop single to Jared Norris.
Two more runs crossed on the at-bats to make it 16-12.
After Cales was called out on strikes, and immediately ejected after arguing the called third strike with the umpire, Hock hit Arthur with a pitch to cross King.
Austin Osborne, pinch-running for Thompson, trimmed the deficit to 16-14 after scoring on a wild pitch.
Lockard was then walked intentionally to load the bases, but the Mustangs’ move backfired as Hock walked Darnell to score Norris and make it a one-run game.
Hock was then pulled in favor of Slade Ranke, but the Rockets pulled even at 16-16 after Arthur raced home on the third and final Westfall wild pitch.
Arthur slid safely into the plate, as Lockard advanced to third and Darnell to second.
Finally, Matteson made amends for the two tying runs— and two go-ahead runs — in the top of the seventh, by easily singling to left and scoring Lockard for the game-winner.
“I was very nervous up there, because I didn’t think I was going to hit it. But I did,†said Matteson of his game-winning hit. “He (Ranke) threw the pitch right down the middle, I just sat on it and hit it. Amazing. This feels really good.â€
As Lockard crossed the plate, his Rocket teammates mobbed him and erupted in a wild celebration.
Derrow said it was important that his club keep the bases loaded, stay patient at the plate, and eventually return to the standout Lockard in the order in the inning.
How fitting then is it that he scored the game-winning run?
“The only chance you have is loading the bases up, because you can’t try to get it all back in one swing,†said Derrow. “Anytime you put the ball in play, you have a chance. I yelled from the beginning of the inning ‘Lock (Lockard), start it off.’ If we could get back to him, I thought we had a shot. We have stressed all year from day one to go to the next play, go to the next pitch, go to the next inning. We did that, concentrated and got it done.â€
That was the second deficit which the Rockets erased on Thursday, as they trailed 7-3 following four-and-a-half.
The Rockets racked up six runs on two hits and the first two Mustang errors of the game in the fifth.
Wellston also drew three walks in the inning, and seized the lead when King conked a shot down the left-field line which was scored an E-7 and cleared the bases.
“We battled back to get up 9-7 also,†said Derrow. “Just two huge innings, and they weren’t a lot of gimmes to get on base in there either. Some of the hits we had were gappers.â€
Two of those were back-to-back RBI-doubles to the gap in left in the first frame.
Darnell delivered one which scored Arthur, who walked, as Matteson mustered the other to drive in Lockard and Darnell.
But the Mustangs mustered six unanswered to erase the 3-0 Wellston lead after the first.
They scored two in the second and four more in the fourth, then tacked on a single run in the fifth.
The Rockets responded by scoring six in their fifth, but appeared to help give the victory away in the top of the seventh.
Westfall actually outhit Wellston 14-10, and committed four less errors than the Rockets (8-4).
“We have to do a better job with the bullpen situation,†said Derrow. “With a two-run lead in the last inning, we have to make plays and not give up extra outs like we did today.â€
The rally made a mound winner out of Thompson, as Cales pitched the first six-plus innings before being relieved two batters into the seventh.
He allowed nine runs on eight hits and four walks, but struck out eight while facing four Mustangs apiece in the first, fourth, fifth and sixth stanzas.
Cales escaped some jams as well, as Westfall stranded six total baserunners, including a runner on third in the first and sixth and runners on the corners in the second.
He made a nice pickoff move to Arthur at first to erase Neal Hagerty in the fifth.
Wolfe worked the first five innings for Westfall, as Hock was charged with the actual pitching loss.
Lockard led the Rockets by going a perfect 3-for-3 with two walks as Norris notched two hits.
Matteson managed four RBI while Darnell chipped in three and Arthur two.
Wellston amassed 14 runs batted in altogether, as the other three runs all occurred off wild pitches.
“They helped us out by throwing the ball in the dirt and throwing it around a little bit, but if we don’t put it in play, that doesn’t happen,†said Derrow. “That’s just part of baseball.â€
And, the Rockets have more baseball to play on Saturday against Fairland for the district championship.
* * *
Westfall 024 010 9 — 16 14 4
Wellston 300 060 8 — 17 10 8
Zach Wolfe, Joey Lemaster (6), Nathan Hock (7), Slade Ranke (7) and Joey Russolillo, Zach Wolfe (6), Joey Russillo (7)
Slone Cales, Jeff Matteson (7), Grant Thompson (7) and Ryan Darnell
W — Grant Thompson; L — Nathan Hock
[email protected]
Kenny Bixx....We know you dislike Coach Derrow, as you keep posting over and over and over and over about it. That said, you will probably feel better if you just let it freakin' go.
bman...Always nice talking with a colleague. Good luck with the rest of your teams in the tournaments and on the track.
Rockets rally with eight runs to win 17-16 slugfest
By PAUL BOGGS
Sports Editor
CHILLICOTHE — It’s not over until it’s over.
Indeed, the Wellston High School baseball squad made Yogi Berra proud on Thursday in its Division III district semifinal tilt against Westfall.
After witnessing an early 3-0 lead quickly evaporate, the Golden Rockets staged not one but two dramatic comebacks on Thursday, including an amazing eight-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning to win a 17-16 slugfest at Unioto High School.
The Golden Rockets scored three runs on three hits in their initial at-bat, but didn’t score again until they erupted for six more in the bottom of the fifth to take a 9-7 lead.
Then, after Westfall went off for a stunning nine runs in the top of the seventh, and seized what seemed to be an insurmountable 16-9 advantage, the Rockets refueled for one last blastoff.
And that they did, scoring eight runs on only three hits, but taking advantage of two Mustang errors, three wild pitches, four walks and two hit batsmen.
With runners on second and third, and with two outs, junior Jeff Matteson smacked a single to left field to score senior Matt Lockard for the 17th, final and game-winning run.
Of the 33 total runs which were scored in the game, half of them came (17) in the seventh.
With the wild and wacky win, the Rockets raised their record to 20-7 overall and — more importantly — return to Unioto High School on Saturday for the Division III district championship.
Wellston will face Fairland for the district title, as the Dragons doubled up Crooksville 8-4 in another Division III district semifinal Thursday.
First pitch for Saturday’s championship bout is set for 1 p.m.
But regardless of facing favored Fairland on Saturday, Thursday’s heroic comeback will live in the proud tradition of Wellston baseball for many years to come.
It is unconfirmed if the rally marked the most runs the Rockets have ever overcome in a single-game last at-bat in school history.
“To win this game down seven runs going into the last at-bat, and still be down five with an out on us, it just shows the character of our kids,†said an exhausted but elated Wellston coach Jim Derrow. “We knew it was going to take a bunch of runs to win the game. We felt that coming in that both teams were very even. My hats off to Westfall, they battled and did a nice job to take the lead. Then we did a terrific job of just being patient at the plate and having great at-bats in our last inning. It’s just a tremendous comeback for our community and our school.â€
Wellston last played in the districts in 2003, as the Blue and Gold own 17 sectional championships in school history.
But its last district championship came in 1998, and was the final in the illustrious 32-year coaching career of former Wellston coach Pat Hendershott.
Hendershott’s successor, the third-year coach Derrow, now has his first district tournament win as the Rocket skipper.
Derrow, in 22 years as the head boys basketball coach at the school, has two district runner-up appearances.
He’ll be going for his first district title as a head coach in either sport on Saturday.
For a while on Thursday, though, those chances looked bleak, dire, hopeless and impossible.
Especially after Westfall exploded for nine runs on six hits, two walks, two Rocket errors, a hit batsman and a wild pitch.
A total of 13 Mustangs made a trip to the plate in the onslaught.
Wellston went through three pitchers in the seventh, as senior ace Slone Cales was relieved after an inning-opening error and a walk.
Reliever Matteson then hit a batter, and gave up a two-run bloop single to Joey LeMaster which tied the tilt at 9-9.
Derrow then relieved Matteson in favor of freshman Grant Thompson, but the Mustangs touched Thompson for seven runs on five hits, including a two-run double by Cody Link to the gap in left.
When the smoke cleared, the Rockets found themselves trailing 16-9 and in a dejected state.
“Our heads were down, and the guys didn’t think we were going to get it (win the game),†said Matteson. “But I told them to get up and that we’re going to get it. And we did. What was it, eight or nine runs in the last inning?â€
Who would have guessed that Wellston would respond with a dozen at-bats and eight runs of its own for its seventh straight win.
“Just great at-bats in the seventh,†said Derrow.
Those at-bats began with Lockard, who singled and advanced to second on an E-8.
Ryan Darnell drew a walk, and Matteson reached aboard on the second Mustang miscue of the inning.
Lockard made it 16-10 by scoring on the first wild pitch.
LeMaster, who relieved Westfall starter Zach Wolfe after the fifth, hit Tyler King with a pitch to load the bases with one out.
That prompted a pitching change, but the Mustangs’ Nathan Hock walked Thompson and gave up a bloop single to Jared Norris.
Two more runs crossed on the at-bats to make it 16-12.
After Cales was called out on strikes, and immediately ejected after arguing the called third strike with the umpire, Hock hit Arthur with a pitch to cross King.
Austin Osborne, pinch-running for Thompson, trimmed the deficit to 16-14 after scoring on a wild pitch.
Lockard was then walked intentionally to load the bases, but the Mustangs’ move backfired as Hock walked Darnell to score Norris and make it a one-run game.
Hock was then pulled in favor of Slade Ranke, but the Rockets pulled even at 16-16 after Arthur raced home on the third and final Westfall wild pitch.
Arthur slid safely into the plate, as Lockard advanced to third and Darnell to second.
Finally, Matteson made amends for the two tying runs— and two go-ahead runs — in the top of the seventh, by easily singling to left and scoring Lockard for the game-winner.
“I was very nervous up there, because I didn’t think I was going to hit it. But I did,†said Matteson of his game-winning hit. “He (Ranke) threw the pitch right down the middle, I just sat on it and hit it. Amazing. This feels really good.â€
As Lockard crossed the plate, his Rocket teammates mobbed him and erupted in a wild celebration.
Derrow said it was important that his club keep the bases loaded, stay patient at the plate, and eventually return to the standout Lockard in the order in the inning.
How fitting then is it that he scored the game-winning run?
“The only chance you have is loading the bases up, because you can’t try to get it all back in one swing,†said Derrow. “Anytime you put the ball in play, you have a chance. I yelled from the beginning of the inning ‘Lock (Lockard), start it off.’ If we could get back to him, I thought we had a shot. We have stressed all year from day one to go to the next play, go to the next pitch, go to the next inning. We did that, concentrated and got it done.â€
That was the second deficit which the Rockets erased on Thursday, as they trailed 7-3 following four-and-a-half.
The Rockets racked up six runs on two hits and the first two Mustang errors of the game in the fifth.
Wellston also drew three walks in the inning, and seized the lead when King conked a shot down the left-field line which was scored an E-7 and cleared the bases.
“We battled back to get up 9-7 also,†said Derrow. “Just two huge innings, and they weren’t a lot of gimmes to get on base in there either. Some of the hits we had were gappers.â€
Two of those were back-to-back RBI-doubles to the gap in left in the first frame.
Darnell delivered one which scored Arthur, who walked, as Matteson mustered the other to drive in Lockard and Darnell.
But the Mustangs mustered six unanswered to erase the 3-0 Wellston lead after the first.
They scored two in the second and four more in the fourth, then tacked on a single run in the fifth.
The Rockets responded by scoring six in their fifth, but appeared to help give the victory away in the top of the seventh.
Westfall actually outhit Wellston 14-10, and committed four less errors than the Rockets (8-4).
“We have to do a better job with the bullpen situation,†said Derrow. “With a two-run lead in the last inning, we have to make plays and not give up extra outs like we did today.â€
The rally made a mound winner out of Thompson, as Cales pitched the first six-plus innings before being relieved two batters into the seventh.
He allowed nine runs on eight hits and four walks, but struck out eight while facing four Mustangs apiece in the first, fourth, fifth and sixth stanzas.
Cales escaped some jams as well, as Westfall stranded six total baserunners, including a runner on third in the first and sixth and runners on the corners in the second.
He made a nice pickoff move to Arthur at first to erase Neal Hagerty in the fifth.
Wolfe worked the first five innings for Westfall, as Hock was charged with the actual pitching loss.
Lockard led the Rockets by going a perfect 3-for-3 with two walks as Norris notched two hits.
Matteson managed four RBI while Darnell chipped in three and Arthur two.
Wellston amassed 14 runs batted in altogether, as the other three runs all occurred off wild pitches.
“They helped us out by throwing the ball in the dirt and throwing it around a little bit, but if we don’t put it in play, that doesn’t happen,†said Derrow. “That’s just part of baseball.â€
And, the Rockets have more baseball to play on Saturday against Fairland for the district championship.
* * *
Westfall 024 010 9 — 16 14 4
Wellston 300 060 8 — 17 10 8
Zach Wolfe, Joey Lemaster (6), Nathan Hock (7), Slade Ranke (7) and Joey Russolillo, Zach Wolfe (6), Joey Russillo (7)
Slone Cales, Jeff Matteson (7), Grant Thompson (7) and Ryan Darnell
W — Grant Thompson; L — Nathan Hock
[email protected]
Re: Wellton vs Westfall - District Semis
Congrats Rockets and Coach Derrow. Does Cales now have to sit the next two games?
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Keyser_sozeThrice
- S
- Posts: 1954
- Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2010 1:51 pm
Re: Wellton vs Westfall - District Semis
earp...It was some game. Wellston made eight errors yet still won.
JJHale....Thank you for the kind words on the writeup.
CoyDuke....Yes. Cales has to sit out the next two. He is a senior, so Saturday may be it. Since he pitched into the 7th Thursday, and his pitch count was high, unlikely he would pitch much on Saturday. Still, he is the leadoff hitter and can play outfield. A key loss either way. The greater impact will be felt if Wellston wins and he is not able to play in the regional semifinals.
JJHale....Thank you for the kind words on the writeup.
CoyDuke....Yes. Cales has to sit out the next two. He is a senior, so Saturday may be it. Since he pitched into the 7th Thursday, and his pitch count was high, unlikely he would pitch much on Saturday. Still, he is the leadoff hitter and can play outfield. A key loss either way. The greater impact will be felt if Wellston wins and he is not able to play in the regional semifinals.