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A second straight sectional championship for the Triton baseball team did not come to fruition on Monday evening, as the Trojans fell 4-2 to hosts South Central in the title game. The Satellites scored all four of their runs in the third inning, taking advantage of one too many miscues made by the visitors to end the season of one of the top 1A teams in the state.
A one-out single by Levi McFarland was the only offense the Trojans were able to muster up in the top of the first, as South central starter Colton Elkins responded by striking out the next two hitters to end the threat with McFarland on second base. Braxton Kaufman was just as effective in the bottom half of the inning, working around hitting a batter with one out to send things to the second still scoreless.
Jadyn Prater came up with the team’s second hit of the game during their next trip to the plate, but a 6-3 double play generated by the Satellites turned things over and quickly shifted momentum back over to the hosts. Once again, Kaufman had an answer in the bottom half, striking out the side to keep things knotted up.
For the third straight inning, Triton used a one-out single to put a man on. This time, it was nine-hitter Trey Tarlton attempting to start a rally. But, as had been the case in the two prior instances, South Central was able to get out of it. It started with Drew Bingamon hitting into a fielder’s choice to take away the lead runner. Just a few pitches later, he’d be caught stealing to put the hosts back to bat.
In the bottom of the third, the Satellites were finally able to get to Kaufman. It started with a one-out bunt single by Taye Falls. The next man up, Isaac Bohm, perfectly executed a hit-and-run, resulting in both men ending up in scoring position. Falls eventually scored on a wild pitch, while Bohm made it home after being stuck in a pickle. It initially looked as if he was tagged out at home, but the ball escaped the glove of Kaufman.
The hosts weren’t done there. Fischer Trosky, who walked earlier in the inning, went on to score on an RBI groundout by Hunter Leuck. The final run of the inning came on a straight steal of home by Carson Rinker with two outs. The incredibly risky play paid off, and South Central led 4-0 heading into the fourth.
Sophomore Jadyn Prater of Triton makes solid contact with the ball for a single in the second inning...Nieter
The Trojans’ next trip to the plate was their most fruitful yet, as the visitors were finally able to get onto the board. It started with an error over at first base that put McFarland on. He’d make it to third on a single by Max Johnson, and would score a batter later as Maddox Dennie hit a sacrifice fly into right field. Triton later put runners on the corners, but were unable to put up a crooked number.
Bingamon replaced Kaufman on the mound in the bottom of the fourth, and he did so successfully. An error at second put a Satellite runner on base, but he was quickly erased by Johnson as he attempted to steal second. The result was a three up, three down inning for the senior that kept it 4-1 going into the fifth.
The top of the fifth was over before it even began, as Elkins responded to giving up his first run of the game an inning prior by retiring the side on just three pitches. All three Trojan hitters made some good contact, but South Central defenders were there each time. After blowing through three more outs, the visitors now had just six to work with. It didn’t take Bingamon much longer to send the game to the sixth, as after giving up a leadoff single, he’d retire the side, finishing things off with his second punchout.
After a lightning-quick trip to the plate in the top of the fifth, the Trojans showed much more patience in the sixth. It paid off for them too, as Kaufman was able to work a count before getting hit by a pitch moments before Johnson picked up a single on a full count. A wild pitch put both men in scoring position, where Kaufman would be brought home on an RBI groundout by Dennie, his second run driven in of the afternoon. Now trailing 4-2 with a man on third, Triton was unable to bring him home, now needing a defensive stand and multiple runs to extend the game.
Bingamon did his part in the bottom of the sixth, working around a leadoff single to send things to the seventh with his team still trailing by two runs. However, it was just not in the cards. A two-out single by Tarlton was the lone offense in the inning, as the Satellites were able to get the three outs necessary to claim the sectional championship.
