MESA - The number three was a recurring theme throughout Saturday’s 6A conference semifinal between the O’Connor Eagles and the Brophy College Prep Broncos.
For the Eagles, this was their third straight elimination game this week, their third time matching up against the Broncos this postseason and three runs in the third inning made the difference in #6 O’Connor’s 3-1 victory.
The Eagles (24-8) advance to face the top seeded Queen Creek Bulldogs (24-7) Tuesday night at Tempe Diablo Stadium. And it is the northwest Phoenix program's third state title game.
“From the beginning of the year going back to the fall, they wanted to be champions, when we break it down as a team they say “1-2-3” we used to say OC. Now they say champs cause they wanted to know that that’s what we’re working for everyday every rep in the weight room, every sprint on the field, every swing in BP,” said Eagles coach Jeff Baumgartner.
Leading the championship charge on Saturday was Eagles ace Cody Stoller who had already pitched against the Broncos in the quarterfinals, He had one of his worst outings of the season statistically as he gave up six hits and three runs in a 5-1 loss.
With O’Connor in an elimination game, Stoller saved his best for last as he gave up one run and struck out five in a complete game.
“I thought at the end of the game he got better, he started reaching back and he felt his spots when he needed to make a pitch and I thought he did that, he did a heck of a job today that was awesome to see,” said Baumgartner.
A big reason as to why Stoller needed to give all he could on the mound and go as long as possible was because of Friday’s matchup between these two schools. O’Connor in an extra innings victory burned through both of their main bullpen guys in Chris Peronace and Hustyn Wheeler, leaving all other hands on deck for the matchup Saturday.
“After last night we used all of our bullpen guys, we used our closers and relief pitchers and tonight we needed our ace to go out there and shove and shoot, he did,” Baumgartner said.
In both matchups this postseason prior to Saturday, the Broncos utilized softer contact to get on base and used speed to advance bases. Brophy showed discipline at the plate to run up both the starter's pitch count and draw walks.
The Eagles flipped that script on its head and played with that style to beat Brophy at their own game, most notably during that third inning.
The inning started off with a leadoff double by senior Mike Denstone and in the next at bat Jake Sanko drew a walk. Senior Hustyn Wheeler was up nwxt.
Immediately Wheeler would lay down a sacrifice bunt to the third base side to advance both runners into scoring position. Ky McGary opened the scoring with an RBI single to center field and Aiden Maselli joined in with an RBI single to left field.
The Eagles found the crack in Broncos pitcher Johnny Casale’s armor that no one in the postseason had to that point. In 14 innings of playoff action, Casale hadn’t given up a run yet and gave up two in the span of five batters.
In the next at bat, Casale jammed up Carter Daly who hit a pop fly into left field that was dropped by the outfielder allowing McGary to score. That was all the runs the Eagles could muster on the day, and all they would need.
“It’s a testament to these kids and how hard they work and how much they fight and how much they believe and believe in each other,” Baumgartner said.
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