Indian Valley wins wild Div. III title game in extra innings

Mike Conley, June 06, 2009 1:43 p.m.

COLUMBUS -- An early blown opportunity left Indian Valley hoping to get another -- a chance that doesn't often come on a state-championship stage.

But more than three hours after the first pitch was thrown, the Braves got their moment on the stage after beating Hamilton Badin, 7-6, in eight innings to win the Div. III state title.

Both teams had the top of the batting order up for the eighth. Adam Mizer, in his sixth inning of relief work, got Badin in order. Matt Wheeler -- who led off the bottom of the first with a home run -- walked to start the bottom half, moved to second on a single by Logan Gray and scored the winning run when Badin threw the ball away after fielding Jonny Iacobucci's bunt and trying to throw Wheeler out at third.

Wheeler was the Braves' starting pitcher but gave way to Mizer during Badin's three-run third that gave Rams a 4-1 lead. But Indian Valley got four of its own in the bottom of the third to reclaim the lead thanks to two errors -- a sac bunt that was thrown away much like the game-deciding play, and a misplayed sac fly.

Both teams hit the ball hard all day, which made for an entertaining game. It wasn't an especially clean game, but there was plenty of drama.

Badin brought pinch-runner Nick Burrus around to score in the fifth, trimming its deficit to 6-5, but left the bases loaded when Mizer got leadoff hitter Scott Staarman to hit one back to the mound.

The Rams tied it in the sixth as Corey VanNatta led off the inning with a triple to straightaway center. Zach Toerner hit one up the middle to score VanNatta and hustled to turn it into a double. He was caught in a rundown trying to score two batters later, though, and Mizer got Scott Purcell to fly out to end the inning and keep the game tied.

It appeared as if Indian Valley would be haunted by its first inning. Following Wheeler's homer, Logan Gray, Jonny Iacobucci and Bobby Hall followed with singles to load the bases. Josh McFarland got Logan Cozart to pop out on 3-1 for the first out. Zack Baker's fly to left was caught by a charging Scott Staarman for the second out, freezing the runners, and Andy Allensworth struck out as McFarland escaped a huge jam. 

McFarland didn't make it out of the third, though, as he was replaced by Jeff Smith. Badin brought in its top pitcher, Brett McKinney, to finish the fifth and pitch the next two innings. Jake Clear got the loss when he was unable to get an out in the eighth.