Marysville’s Mason Springs delivers a pitch to an opposing Hilliard Darby batter. The sophomore notched 13 strikeouts and helped seal the walk-off win against the Panthers in the bottom of the seventh inning.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)
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When the going got tough, Marysville’s baseball team persevered.
Despite allowing an early lead, the Monarchs outlasted visiting Hilliard Darby (10-9) by a 3-2 count.
Sophomore Mason Springs played a big role in the victory. He struck out 13 and walked one.
He sealed the win in the bottom of the seventh when his sacrifice fly brought in Damon Wade for the winning run.
“We just took a series against a really, really good team,” MHS head coach Nick Blake said.
“It’s happened a couple time this year where we didn’t have our best stuff, but we just kept battling,” the coach said.
“We worked our tails off and it’s great when you get the nail biters like this because that is what baseball is all about,” Springs said.
“I prepare very heavily and pitching is one of my favorite things to do on the baseball field,” he said. “I am a big Christian so before the game I pray and say ‘God, I know this is in Your hands.’”
“Mason was throwing great,” Blake said. “We really felt like we had a good chance to take the game.”
Stemming from its last Ohio Capital Conference win over Olentangy, Marysville sought to stay on the positive end of its divisional schedule. The victory now puts the team at 6-4 in the Cardinal Division.
The Monarchs are 13-4 overall.
The Panthers were quick to put runs on the board in the top of the first inning.
Darby’s Cooper Gilkerson came out on the positive end of a 3-2 count by earning a free pass.
Cole Horvath followed with a single to put two Panthers on base.
While Darby’s Caleb Boff was called out at first, Gilkerson and Horvath advanced to second and third.
A solid hit from Henry Valerio gave both runners the time they needed to score for a 2-0 margin.
“We needed to just stay aggressive,” Blake said after Darby grabbed the lead.
Despite the deficit, Marysville’s defense remained steadfast and kept the Panthers from increasing their lead.
The Monarchs bounced back in the bottom of the fifth inning, getting their first run with an RBI from Tate Martino. Griffin Michael ran in for the score.
Max Freeman was subbed in for Martino on second.
Griffin Scheiderer followed with a deep single to knot the contest at 2-2.
Darby sent Tyler Mullen to the mound in the bottom of the seventh.
Wade entered the game as a pinch-runner on second base.
He went to third after Martino put the ball in play.
Springs stepped to the plate and sent a sacrifice fly into the sky.
Wade tagged at third and dashed home for the winning run.
“Tyler Kesterson also gave us a really good at-bat to lead us on,” Blake said. “Situationally, we were able to take a bag.”
The ending was a hard feeling to describe for Springs, who celebrated with his team shortly after Wade hustled home.
“It’s all just a blur,” he said. “All the energy is hard to walk you through it… we stick hard to our training in the offseason and regular season.”
Springs allowed only four hits during his pitching performane.
“I thought I did pretty solid and my boys helped me out in the outfield,” he said.
Pitching in the bottom of the seventh, the losing pitcher, Mullen, allowed one run on one hit with no strikeouts.
Pitching for the previous six innings, Gilkerson allowed two runs on six hits, while striking out eight.
The Monarchs will travel to Dublin Jerome today at 5 p.m.
“We need to keep being ourselves,” Blake said. “We’ve had the year we’ve had to this point because we keep being ourselves the majority of the time.
“We’ve been a confident team all year and I think that confidence just grew a little bit more tonight,” he said.
“We just have to stay disciplined,” Spring said. “We have a good ball team and I think we are capable of beating anyone in Ohio.”