Tyler Consolidated takes regional crown with furious comeback
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SISTERSVILLE -- Reese Davis explained the walk-off for a regional championship as if being in a movie. Welcome to life imitating art.
Wednesday afternoon in the final game of a best-of-three Region I series with Wheeling Central, Tyler Consolidated pulled out the magic with five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat the Maroon Knights 5-4 and advance to the Class A state tournament for the first time in program history.
"What we did is like something you see in movies," Davis said. "That's big. That was a battle with Wheeling Central. They are a good team."
For the first time in his 12 seasons as TCHS head coach, Robby Jones finally puts his program in a spot he has been seeking for so long. The next stage as one of four to advance to the state tournament runs from June 1-3 for the 31-6 Silver Knights.
"All season we have battled," said a very emotional Jones. "Getting to state means all the world to our guys."
Down to their final two outs and trailing 4-0, Zade Billings gave the Silver Knights a might momentum push with his first home runs of the season - a three-home blast - and all of a sudden the Tyler bats showed life ... unlike the first six innings when Wheeling Central starting pitcher Gary Hatfield allowed just one hit.
Hatfield reached his pitch limit after walking the lead-off batter in the seventh inning. Despite Billings' home run, Maroon Knight freshman Matt Criniti recorded a second out and no Silver Knights on base.
TCHS cleanup hitter Ty Walton was hit on the first pitch he saw and with facing a 2-2 count, Hayden Brown singled between shortstop and third base. Carson Gorby stepped to the plate and hit a slow chopper to shortstop which would have ended the game.
Instead, Gorby slid into first base and the throw pulled the first baseman off the bag for Wheeling Central's only error of the game.
Davis, who was roughed up for three runs on five hits in the top of the third inning as TCHS' starting pitcher, ripped a single to center field.
Taking off second base right away and Jones in the third base coach's box erratically waving his arms signaling the green light, Gorby scored the game-winner without a throw.
Hatfield issued seven walks, so TCHS put runners on base constantly. Between the seven men stranded through the first six innings and three double plays, including a runner being thrown out at the plate on a potential sacrifice fly, the Silver Knights never heard the word 'quit.'
Wheeling Central, which graduates just three seniors from last night's starting nine, was in control until that unfortunate home half of the seventh inning. In the third inning, the Maroon Knights batted around.
With two outs and the game scoreless, six hitters reached base safely. Brayden Cover's single followed by Hatfield's double and a base on ball to Seth Cover loaded the bases.
The next three hitters kept the line moving with RBI singles - starting with Koy Lipinski and Carson Kuhns and capped off by Payton Hildebrand.
"We played very well defensively, and played very well overall," Rowe said. "We just didn't come out with the outcome we wanted."
Davis kept Tyler within range by retiring eight straight hitters until Braxton Billick's second single of the night to lead off the seventh inning.
"I did what I call our family team text--I said it's Reese pitching today if you want him and they wall wanted Reese Davis on the mound to start the game," Jones said. "He's been our No. 3 guy all year. I just really proud how he responded after (Tuesday)."
With one out and Billick on second after recording his second steal, Hatfield poked a two-strike pitch opposite field just over the first baseman for an RBI single and a 4-0 cushion.
"Our kids put their heart on the line," Wheeling Central coach Jason Rowe said. "I told the kids in the huddle not to put their heads down. We are 6-1 in elimination games.
"We have four seniors and three of them play. I'm speechless for these kids because I feel for these kids. They give it all every time they come out."
Carson Gorby, who eventually earned the victory, entered in relief of Davis one batter later and retired Maroon Knights he faced to stop any further threat.
"In that seventh inning, we just talked if could get a couple of baserunners on anything could happen," Jones said. "I was just trying to keep my heart rate down and hope the kids did the same. The kids just kept having good at-bats. They were working the counts."
Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com