During the last several years, Midland and Eudora had faced each other a number of times. Midland has never won in Eudora. Eudora had never won at Midland. And on neutral sites they were an even .500 split. Yet the game Tuesday night had more riding on it than any other - for the championship of the K7 League was effectively at stake.

 

Midland had five-game winner Chris Seagraves well-rested and waiting on the mound, while Eudora had the same two pitchers ready that had handed Midland their only two losses back in June. As you can imagine, the pre-game pep talk from Coach Nelson was intense...

 

Chris started off the first with a seven-pitch called strikeout and three ground balls, one of which skipped through for a two-out single. The Monarchs also had a lead-off strikeout, and added a single by Tanner Holland that went nowhere. Four up, three down, and single for each team.

 

The Eudora second started off much better for them, if not for the hometown Monarchs. Eudora put their first three runners on, despite great control from Chris (nine pitches, eight strikes) and loading the bases with no outs. Midland dodged the big inning when the next batter hit a first-pitch grounder to Jacob Reinhart at second who flipped to Alex Connely at short and then on to Tanner at first for a run-scoring double-play. The Monarchs were unable to answer in the second, despite picking up a two-out double by Dylan Smith. 

 

In the third, Chris picked up two quick called strikeouts, and the inning appeared to be just about over. At least until an error at first allowed the #2 Cactus hitter to come to plate where he punched the first homer of his high school career over the right field fence. And when Midland failed again in the bottom of the third to do any damage, the crimson crew found themselves down 3-0 after three innings.

 

More than a tad unhappy about the score, Chris mowed down the opposition in inning number four, picking up strikeouts number four and five to end the inning. Midland thought they might have something in their half when leadoff Mac Stephenson singled, but he was immediately erased on a 643 DP and the score remained 3-0 with half the game gone.

 

Eudora's fifth started in a similar fashion to their third with two quick outs and then an error to put a runner on. The #11 hitter hit a weak infield single to the left side and suddenly the threat for more runs was real. On the next pitch the Cactus hitter dropped a ball into left field and the Monarchs fans groaned as the runner on second came around third headed for home. But let's not forget Logan Glaze in left, resurrected knee and all. A perfect strike from the outfield to Dylan at home caught the runner by surprise, and he ended up with a not-in-my-backyard tag to the face for the final out of the inning. (oh, and with much cheering from the dugout!)

 

In the bottom of the frame, the Eudora pitcher picked up a quick strikeout on three pitches, making five strikes in a row. Second batter of the inning was the same Dylan just discussed and somehow the ball got away from the Cactus moundsman, plunking Midland's catcher right in the numbers. More than one eyebrow of the watching crowd went up at this, but the Monarchs were sadly unable to convert the HBP into anything other than their second DP of the game. Score remained 3-0 after five, with Midland's offense only claiming three hits.

 

In the sixth, Eudora once again tested Logan's arm in left, and once again, it was to their detriment. With a runner on first, the visitor's #3 hitter picked up his third hit of the game, this one a double into left. As the runner sprinted toward third, Logan rifled a throw to Mac at third who tagged the runner out with ease. Two quick outs, and Midland had their sixth chance to score - but no good news as it was three up and three down with a caught-stealing ending the inning. 

 

Time was becoming of the essence for Midland, and things didn't get any better in the seventh when a pickoff attempt from Midland's catcher sailed over the head of 1B Tanner Holland, allowing a runner to score. Chris added strikeouts six and seven, but a four-run deficit, at least based on what Midland's offense had done so far, was looking increasingly gi-normous.

 

But the boys refused to say die, and finally broke the drought in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Mac Stephenson doubled into right, one-hopping the wall. Clay Lambrecht punched him home with a single to right and it was back to a three-run margin. With seven in the books, Eudora was still on top 4-1.

 

Harking back to Midland's spring championship game, Coach Nelson brought Patrick Starr in as relief, wondering if the big-game magic was still there. If the truth must be told it kinda was and kinda wasn't! Patrick tossed in a walk, a HBP, and a single to load the bases, then gave up a sac-fly to give the visitors back a four-run lead. But the boys from Eudora got greedy, and tried to score a second runner who was tagged out at the plate for out number two. Patrick struck out the next batter on three pitches, but the score stood 4-1 with only six outs left in the Midland ammo pouch.

 

And the Monarchs made the most of it. A lead-off walk to Dylan Smith was followed with a help-yourself-pitcher single through the gap in right by Patrick "Mr. Clutch" Starr. That was enough to bring the Eudora manager to the mound and signal for a new pitcher. The same pitcher, in case you were wondering, who held Midland to four hits in seven innings back in June...

 

But this time, it was not to be. Joel Donn drove a solid single into left on a 3-2 count, bringing in both runners and getting the Monarchs within two. With one out, the Eudora shortstop and third baseman got to a Logan grounder at the same time and neither was able to field the ball cleanly. Tanner was next, turning an eight-pitch AB into a walk to load the bases. 

 

Might Mac headed towards the plate, and crashed his second double in two innings down the left-field line, bringing in two more runs and knotting the contest at 5-5. An rare intentional walk to Clay brought Jacob Reinhart to the plate, batting in the #5 slot for the first time this season. After taking a strike, Jacob sent the ball arching into left-center, bringing Tanner in from third on a sac-fly. And in an amazing turn of events, Midland lead for the first time 6-5.

 

With Patrick on the books now as the possible winner, Coach Nelson brought in Tanner to pitch the ninth. And Eudora fought the bitter fight without hesitation. A leadoff single to right was followed by a fly out to left. A second single to left was followed by a flyout to Alex at short, bringing Eudora's right fielder to the plate. A quick strike, and then a grounder again to short. Alex scooped the ball, flipped to Jacob at second, then jogged off the field as the Monarchs celebrated a 6-5 win, and a clear shot at three-peating the K7 League the next day. What a game!

 

NOTES: The Monarchs were out-hit 14-8; Eudora only had one inning where they didn't get a hit... Mac Stephenson picked up three of those hits, and was the only Monarch to have a multi-hit game... After going six straight games without an error, Midland made three in this game... If only earned runs counted, the final would have been 4-2 Midland... Joel's hit in the eighth broke a three-week hitless streak, so talk about perfect timing... This was the fourth game in a row that Midland scored at least four runs in an inning...