By Amanda Perkins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
It’s no surprise the athleticism and skill the Eminence Redwings showed on the court as class one basketball champions also translates to the diamond.
“These kids know how to win,” said head baseball coach J. C. Hoagland. Last year, the Redwings fell just short of their final four goal, but after besting the Summersville Wildcats 11-1 and capturing the district title Tuesday, they now have another shot.
Entering the sixth inning with a 9-1 lead, Trent McBride opened play for Eminence with a single and advanced to second on an error. He stole third as Taylon Jenkins walked, then slid in underneath the tag at home. Trevor Voyles and Isaiah Taylor singled to load the bases. That’s when Robert Keeling smoked a line drive to third to win with a run rule in walk-off fashion, 11-1.
“It starts with Trent, he threw great,” said Coach Hoagland. “He had a no-hitter through four and they broke it up in the fourth inning. He got ahead of hitters and that gives us an ability to call his off-speed stuff, which is his best stuff. He kept them off balance and our kids made great plays. Two freshmen outfielders both made great plays and our shortstop (Keeling) was phenomenal today.”
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
The Redwings opened with a Robert Keeling leadoff single, picking up their first run after a runner advancement from a groundout and a single by Grant Dyer.
In the second, Eminence drew three walks and one hit and pushed across another runner to go up 2-0.
The Redwings broke the game open in the third, starting with back to back to back singles from Dyer, Trent McBride, and Blaze Dodson. Taylon Jenkins drew a walk, scoring one, to go up 3-0.
With two outs on the board, Keeling hit a nice ball to clear the bases, aided by a Summersville error. He would later score in the inning to push the total to 7-0 after three frames.
A McBride single would drive home Dyer, who doubled in the bottom of the fourth. Singles from Dodson and Jenkins drove home McBride, 9-0.
Summersville got on the board in the sixth, as Patrick Hawkins singled to centerfield and Crockett Parham doubled, sending him home.
“I think our boys played really hard, and it’s a good opportunity for a team that’s building and building and building to be in a championship game, period,” said Summersville head coach Caleb Dudley. “I think that says a lot for them and the work ethic they have, because two years ago, you look at it and say in two more years you’ll be in a championship game, not a lot of people thought that. It’s a credit to our kids who really put in a lot of work and think they can get there. I told them, we get a chance to do it again because we don’t have any seniors and we get everybody back. I’m really proud of them.”
Coach Dudley said about midway through the season, his team faced adversity with tough games.
“They could have gone one way or another, but the kids battled back and stole a win away here and there and I think that kind of pushed us to really competing toward the end of the season,” he said.
Summersville ends with a 7-9 overall record, and 6-3 against fellow class one teams.
Coach Hoagland said his Redwings’ success is all a team effort. “We don’t really have one star better than the other one, we’re pretty solid 1-9 and have contributions from everybody. This is the highlight of our year, winning the district.”
The Redwings will take their 15-3 spring record to face the winner of the district 3 championship in sectional play on May 21.
