Wildcats take ACME State Title in Classic
On Monday evening at Coldwater’s Veteran’s Field, Minster overcame a 2-0 deficit in the sixth against Defiance in the opener to win 3-2 to advance to the state final. In the state final against Van Wert, who defeated Indian Lake 2-1 to advance, the Minster Wildcats scratched three runs across in the 8th to defeat the Cougars 3-0 in a classic pitcher’s duel to win their first ACME state title in their first appearance in the title game. Minster won 6 straight elimination games to win the state title.
Minster 3 Defiance 2 The semifinal game was a tale of two days. The game started on Sunday at 1. Cody Shaw started for Defiance and Louis Magoto started for Minster.
In the first three innings, Magoto was able to keep Defiance off the board with the help of some good defense. In the top of the second inning, Khalil Ligon and Abel Rubio singled to put runners on first
and second. However, Dylan Heitkamp gunned down Rubio trying to steal second to get out of the inning.
In the top of the fourth, Defiance was able to squeak out two runs without a hit. Brezlen Zipfel walked to start the inning. Noah Gomez grounded to the shortstop who could not handle the ball and threw it away to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs. A wild pitch scored Zipfel from third and advanced Gomez to third. A walk put runners on first and third. Cody Shaw grounded out, which scored a second run to make the score 2-0. Magoto was able to get out of the inning with no more damage after a strikeout.
Meanwhile, Cody Shaw was on his game getting Minster out in order in the first three innings. Right before the bottom of the fourth, a thunderstorm came and the game was stopped to resume at 3 today.
Two new pitchers came in for the continuation of the game with Sam Gerschutz coming in for Defiance and Andrew Wiss in for Minster.
Sam Gerschutz continued the dominant pitching performance
by Defiance the next two innings, but Minster did get a baserunner in each inning via a walk to break up the perfect game. Andrew Wiss came in and put the brakes on the Defiance hitters as they were only able to muster a walk and a single the next two innings.
In the sixth inning, after a ground out, Dylan Heitkamp hit one that just evaded the outfielder on a diving play to get Minster’s first hit. A walk to Connor Schmiesing led to a pitching change. Issac Bair came in to pitch for Defiance and immediately walked James Niemeyer to load the bases. Rylan Edwards singled to the left side and scored two runs. Bair was able to get two pop-outs to end the inning.
In the seventh inning, both teams had chances. Abel Rubio for Defiance was hit by a pitch. After a throwaway by Wiss on a pickoff attempt, Brady Borton bunted to the pitcher who was able to get Rubio out in a rundown. Borton was able to advance to second. An infield single put runners on first and third. Wiss was able to get a groundout to get out of the
inning. In the bottom of the seventh, Andrew Wiss walked prompting a Defiance pitching change to Khalil Ligon. This was followed by a single by Reese Beair to put runners on first and second. After a bunt that did not advance the runners, Heitkamp walked to load the bases with one out. A popout and a flyout ended the threat.
In the top of the eighth, Wiss breezed through Defiance 1-23. In the bottom of the eighth, Ligon was able to get the first two out. However, Ian Homan and Andrew Wiss singled to put runners on first and second. Pitching to Reese Beair, Ligon fired a pitch past the catcher to put runners on second and third. With the count 3-2, Ligon fired another pitch that got away from the catcher and Ian Homan just beat the throw home to win the game for Minster 3-2.
Andrew Wiss was picked as the player of the game with four innings pitched and giving up no runs. He also walked and had a single in the eighth inning.
Minster would play for the title against the winner of Indian
Lake-Van Wert.
Minster 3 Van Wert 0 - 8 innings
Minster proved that they were the kings of extra innings in the ACME title game. A classic pitchers duel between Minster’s James Niemeyer and Van Wert’s Hayden Dowler ended in a 3-0 win for Minster in 8 innings. Minster was able to get 3 runs off 3 hits in the eighth inning after only getting three baserunners in the first seven innings.
In the first seven innings, pitchers ruled the day as James Niemeyer and Hayden Dowler matched 0s throughout. There were a couple of threats.
In the first inning, Van Wert was able to get two on with two outs after a pair of walks but a flyout ended the threat.
In the top of the second, Louis Magoto singled with one out and stole second. However, two popouts ended the threat.
In the bottom of the third, Finley Dickinson singled for Van Wert. After two sacrifices, to get Dickinson to third,
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