Wednesday, May 28, 2008 11:11 PM CDT
Trojans win 7-5 in extra-inning thriller
By BRIAN NIELSEN, Sports Editor
bnielsen@jg-tc.com
CENTRALIA — Derrick Landrus had nothing left he could say to pitcher Cory Ames after his third walk of the eighth inning loaded the bases with one out.
“He’s a senior and he’s got to get it done,” the Charleston baseball coach said. “I didn’t have any visits (to the mound) left anyway.”
So Ames, who along with others from Charleston was dismayed by one of the ball-four calls, talked to himself.
“I said ‘you need to stay confident,’ “the Charleston senior said. “I just had to keep throwing strikes no matter what.”
That’s what Ames did striking out the next two Mascoutah batters, the last one on a full-count, finishing the Trojans’ 7-5 extra-inning win in Wednesday night’s semifinals of the IHSA Class 3A Centralia Sectional.
“That was the best game I’ve ever played in,” Ames said.
The Trojans, 26-11, get to play in another one at 11 a.m. Saturday at Sprehe Field against 32-4 Highland in the sectional final.
“I really didn’t think we played that well,” Landrus said. “We didn’t have that many guys take strike three all year.”
The Trojans also came through when needed in the eighth.
Eric Gentry, who went 3-for-4 for the game, led off the extra inning with a double.
When Jamel Johnson’s pop up was lost in the lights and fell in the shallow right field grass for a single, Charleston had runners on first and second.
Mascoutan then chose to intentionally walk Derek Hennig, who was 2-for-2, to load the bases for Trey Ryan.
“It wasn’t really something against me but you take it that way,” Ryan said.
The senior spoiled the strategy with a base hit to drive home the tie-breaking run.
Johnson was forced out at home on Clayton Murphy’s fielders choice but Hennig scored an insurance run on a wild pitch.
The Trojans could not relax for long in the bottom of the eight.
Mascoutah’s No. 9 batter Grant Lingelofer led off with a walk.
Then after Austin Wager flew out, Andrew Kellerhman, who homered in the first inning, drew a walk on a close pitch.
“To tell you the truth I thought it was a strike,” the catcher Ryan said, “but I can’t argue.”
Stephen Siegel also drew a walk bringing up cleanup hitter Ryan Haas with bases loaded and one out.
“The last time I was up to bat when they were changing pitchers the umpire told me I was doing a good job and was always around the zone,” Ames said. “He said if I threw strikes, he’d call them.”
So Ames struck out Haas and then on a 3-2 pitch got Logan Wager to strike out swinging on a curveball that was probably high.
This capped 5 1/3 relief innings for Ames, who allowed two runs and four hits to raise his record to 8-3.
“Just a great job by a senior,” Landrus said. “He was expecting to close and came in in the third inning. He gave us our best chance to win today.”
Things got off to a rocky start for Charleston after a top of the first inning when Cory Ames flew out deep to center field and Brad Wheeler lined out to the second baseman.
In the bottom of the first Highland’s Austin Wager was hit by a pitch and Andrew Kellerman followed with an opposite field homer over the right field fence.
A duck-snort single by Logan Wager and then a two-out base hit bouncing through the infield by Tycen Wager put the Trojans behind 3-0.
Charleston got one of the runs back in the econd inning when Derek Hennig beat out an infield hit, Clayton Murph doubled to right center field and James Addison brought home Hennig with a sacrifice fly.
In the fourth inning Eric Gentry singled, Jamel Johnsoon forced him out at second and Derek Hennig singled.
When Trey Ryan’s ground ball was bobbled for an error, Johnson scored from second base and on that same play the catcher’s throw went past third base allowing Hennig to tie the game 3-3.
Mascoutah regained a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth when Ryan Haas doubled, Marshall Vallandingham got on an infield hit and Tycen Wager hit a two-run triple.
Charleston pulled even again in the top of the sixth when Gentry and Johnson hit back-to-back doubles and Ryan drove home Johnson.
Things stayed tie until the decisive eighth.
Highland’s Jake Odorizzi allowed his first earned run this season but wound up with a five-hitter and 11 strikeouts in Highalnd’s 5-1 win over Marion.
Charleston AB R H BI
Ames, 3b 5 0 0 0
Wheeler, cf 4 0 0 0
Gentry, lf 4 2 3 0
A. Phipps, lf 0 0 0 0
Johnson, dh 4 2 2 1
Hennig, 2b 2 3 2 0
Ryan, c 4 0 2 2
Rose, cr 0 0 0 0
Murphy, 1b 4 0 1 0
Addison,ss 3 0 0 1
Walden, rf 2 0 0 0
Pogue, ph 1 0 0 0
Totals 33 7 10 4
2B-Murphy. Gentry 2, Johnson. SF-Addison.
Charleston 010 202 02 - 7-10-0
Mascoutah 300 020 00 - 5-9-4
Pitchers IP H R ER BB S)
Nead 2 2/3 4 3 3 1 3
Ames 5 1/3 4 2 2 5 3
Contact Brian Nielsen at bnielsen@jg-tc.com or 238-6856.
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