Walkoff Home Run Sinks Vikings
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Anthony [email protected]
Opening the day against Tippecanoe Valley in the Class 3A Bellmont Regional, Anderson pitched a complete game and hit a walkoff three-run homer in his team’s 4-1 win.
Later in the day, the Hamilton Heights Huskies did fall 4-3 to Bellmont in the championship.
But against Valley, the University of Illinois-Chicago signee had a no-hitter going through five innings.
Valley junior Jacob Ritchey broke up the no-no up with a leadoff double in the top of the sixth while the teams were locked in a scoreless tie.
Ritchey's hit loosened things up, as sophomore Tanner Andrews and junior Clayton Adamson followed with back-to-back to singles to load the bases.
Senior James Hackworth then put down a bunt, as Hamilton Heights took the force out at home and also got Hackworth out at first for the double play.
What the Huskies didn’t see was Andrews turning the corner around third and scoring the first run of the game to the surprise of everyone in attendance.
"Everyone knew it was going to be a pitchers’ duel coming into the game," Valley coach Ryan Moore said about the matchup between Anderson and Valley's Indiana State-bound Hackworth. "And that's what it was. Tanner was on second and he knew we were going to do the double squeeze. He knew I wasn't stopping him. I tried not to make it a big arm swing, so Heights wouldn't know and couldn't yell across the field."
The plan worked, and despite Hamilton Heights having seven hits against Hackworth in the first six innings, it appeared Valley was destined for the finals going into the final frame.
"It was a bad feeling, because we were up seven hits to zero through four innings and the game was scoreless," Hamilton Heights coach Rick Hawley said. "That's not a real good omen. We had been hitting the ball solid and they had been making plays. They put a couple hits together (to take the 1-0 lead), but I knew if we made it to the seventh, we had our top of the lineup up and we had been hitting the ball. Everybody tried to hit hard line drives and groundballs, and it worked out."
It worked with junior Ethan Engelhardt leading off with a single.
But it appeared things were about to go Valley's way when junior Spencer Dull hit a ground ball to senior Brody Andrews at second base.
Instead of getting a potential double play, the ball got away from Andrews, leaving both runners safe.
"I thought they'd have a hard time turning the double play, just because of Spencer's speed," Hawley said. "I was hoping they wouldn't turn it and at least leave someone on."
Senior Logan Cunningham then tied the game up with an RBI-single, scoring Engelhardt and leaving Dull at third.
With no one on second, Dull took the base on a catcher's indifference as Anderson stood at the plate having gone 1 for 3 in the game, the one hit being a soft dribbler that didn't reach the pitcher's mound.
"I was forced with the dilemma at the end of, 'Do we walk him and put him on, because first base was open.' The kid hadn't hit the ball past the pitcher all day," Moore said. "I went out and asked James, 'Do you want to pitch to him or put him on? I'm going to let you decide. This has the potential of being your final game in high school. You know your arm better than anybody.' He said the same thing I was thinking, 'He hasn't hit anything all day. I want to pitch to him.'"
Hackworth did pitch to him and Anderson made him pay, sending the ball straight into a wind that had been blowing in all day, ending the game with a three-run shot.
"The trajectory of the ball was low and not a sky shot," Hawley said. "He hit it low so we could score the guy. I was screaming, 'Tag, tag, tag,' and the ball just kept carrying."
Anderson’s blast ended the prep careers of Brody Andrews and Hackworth, who've been major contributors since their freshmen seasons.
Injuries hampered Brody Andrews throughout his career, but he's still going to have a good shot of playing ball collegiately.
Hackworth ended his career with a 23-9 record and 411 strikeouts.
"Unfortunately, Brody was faced with some injuries throughout his career, but both of them of have been a rock for this team and this whole Valley baseball program," Moore said. "They give the younger kids someone to look up to and play like when they get up to varsity. They're just great leaders, great ball players."
Hackworth entered the game having given up just six runs in 45 innings of work.
But in the end, Anderson was the star of day.
"(Tyler Anderson) is a good pitcher and they have a good pitcher," Hawley said. "It was two excellent pitchers going at it. We were just fortunate to have a situation where we could pull it out at the end. Tippecanoe Valley's a good team."
The Vikings will also lose Kameron Larimer and Alex Newman to graduation.
HAMILTON HEIGHTS 4, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 1
(Bellmont Regional, Semifinal)
V 000 001 0 – 1 4 2
H 000 000 4 – 4 10 2
Tyler Anderson (W, 7IP, 1R, 1ER, 4H, 6K, 0BB) and Colton Elbrecht; James Hackworth (L, 6IP, 4R, 3ER, 10H, 5K, 3BB, 1HR) and Jacob Ritchey
2B – Ritchey (V)
HR – Anderson (H)
Records: Hamilton Heights 20-9, Valley 16-10[[In-content Ad]]
Opening the day against Tippecanoe Valley in the Class 3A Bellmont Regional, Anderson pitched a complete game and hit a walkoff three-run homer in his team’s 4-1 win.
Later in the day, the Hamilton Heights Huskies did fall 4-3 to Bellmont in the championship.
But against Valley, the University of Illinois-Chicago signee had a no-hitter going through five innings.
Valley junior Jacob Ritchey broke up the no-no up with a leadoff double in the top of the sixth while the teams were locked in a scoreless tie.
Ritchey's hit loosened things up, as sophomore Tanner Andrews and junior Clayton Adamson followed with back-to-back to singles to load the bases.
Senior James Hackworth then put down a bunt, as Hamilton Heights took the force out at home and also got Hackworth out at first for the double play.
What the Huskies didn’t see was Andrews turning the corner around third and scoring the first run of the game to the surprise of everyone in attendance.
"Everyone knew it was going to be a pitchers’ duel coming into the game," Valley coach Ryan Moore said about the matchup between Anderson and Valley's Indiana State-bound Hackworth. "And that's what it was. Tanner was on second and he knew we were going to do the double squeeze. He knew I wasn't stopping him. I tried not to make it a big arm swing, so Heights wouldn't know and couldn't yell across the field."
The plan worked, and despite Hamilton Heights having seven hits against Hackworth in the first six innings, it appeared Valley was destined for the finals going into the final frame.
"It was a bad feeling, because we were up seven hits to zero through four innings and the game was scoreless," Hamilton Heights coach Rick Hawley said. "That's not a real good omen. We had been hitting the ball solid and they had been making plays. They put a couple hits together (to take the 1-0 lead), but I knew if we made it to the seventh, we had our top of the lineup up and we had been hitting the ball. Everybody tried to hit hard line drives and groundballs, and it worked out."
It worked with junior Ethan Engelhardt leading off with a single.
But it appeared things were about to go Valley's way when junior Spencer Dull hit a ground ball to senior Brody Andrews at second base.
Instead of getting a potential double play, the ball got away from Andrews, leaving both runners safe.
"I thought they'd have a hard time turning the double play, just because of Spencer's speed," Hawley said. "I was hoping they wouldn't turn it and at least leave someone on."
Senior Logan Cunningham then tied the game up with an RBI-single, scoring Engelhardt and leaving Dull at third.
With no one on second, Dull took the base on a catcher's indifference as Anderson stood at the plate having gone 1 for 3 in the game, the one hit being a soft dribbler that didn't reach the pitcher's mound.
"I was forced with the dilemma at the end of, 'Do we walk him and put him on, because first base was open.' The kid hadn't hit the ball past the pitcher all day," Moore said. "I went out and asked James, 'Do you want to pitch to him or put him on? I'm going to let you decide. This has the potential of being your final game in high school. You know your arm better than anybody.' He said the same thing I was thinking, 'He hasn't hit anything all day. I want to pitch to him.'"
Hackworth did pitch to him and Anderson made him pay, sending the ball straight into a wind that had been blowing in all day, ending the game with a three-run shot.
"The trajectory of the ball was low and not a sky shot," Hawley said. "He hit it low so we could score the guy. I was screaming, 'Tag, tag, tag,' and the ball just kept carrying."
Anderson’s blast ended the prep careers of Brody Andrews and Hackworth, who've been major contributors since their freshmen seasons.
Injuries hampered Brody Andrews throughout his career, but he's still going to have a good shot of playing ball collegiately.
Hackworth ended his career with a 23-9 record and 411 strikeouts.
"Unfortunately, Brody was faced with some injuries throughout his career, but both of them of have been a rock for this team and this whole Valley baseball program," Moore said. "They give the younger kids someone to look up to and play like when they get up to varsity. They're just great leaders, great ball players."
Hackworth entered the game having given up just six runs in 45 innings of work.
But in the end, Anderson was the star of day.
"(Tyler Anderson) is a good pitcher and they have a good pitcher," Hawley said. "It was two excellent pitchers going at it. We were just fortunate to have a situation where we could pull it out at the end. Tippecanoe Valley's a good team."
The Vikings will also lose Kameron Larimer and Alex Newman to graduation.
HAMILTON HEIGHTS 4, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 1
(Bellmont Regional, Semifinal)
V 000 001 0 – 1 4 2
H 000 000 4 – 4 10 2
Tyler Anderson (W, 7IP, 1R, 1ER, 4H, 6K, 0BB) and Colton Elbrecht; James Hackworth (L, 6IP, 4R, 3ER, 10H, 5K, 3BB, 1HR) and Jacob Ritchey
2B – Ritchey (V)
HR – Anderson (H)
Records: Hamilton Heights 20-9, Valley 16-10[[In-content Ad]]
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