Mattingly walks it off for Varsity title in Licking County Shrine instant classic
NEWARK — Mattingly Landscape had unfortunately seen this script before. However, on Thursday night, the North Newark team picked the best time to write its own happy ending against the best club in its league.
Joey Krupp slid home safely in a cloud of dust, and into a big celebration, on Colin Fetherolf's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth inning, giving them a dramatic 6-5 win against Edward Jones for the 77th Licking County Shrine Tournament Varsity Division championship at Mound City Little League Park.
"I was just very nervous, but this was my time to shine," said Fetherolf, whose fly ball to right sent Krupp home, after he had doubled leading off the inning and gone to third on Blake Fischer's bunt single. "They had beaten us three times, but this one was the most important," Fetherolf said.
"We knew it would be a close game. When we got three outs (in the top of the sixth), I felt we could get a run in," Krupp said. "It feels great, and I'm happy I could help us get this. I was confident Colin would do something to get me in."
Mattingly had been up 4-3 on Edward Jones last week, only to fall 5-4. Two other losses to them had come by a combined three runs. On this occasion, Mattingly jumped ahead 5-0, only to see Edward Jones storm back for a 5-5 tie. But they wouldn't buckle.
"When they tied it up, we didn't lose our cool," said manager Jeremy Davis, whose team finished third at North Newark, behind Edward Jones and Licking Memorial Hospital. "Whoever we had coming up (in the sixth), I was confident they could get the job done. We've actually been pretty balanced, one through 11 in our lineup, and we've tried to spread things around."
On this night, the bottom of the order came up big. Krupp is the No. 8 hitter and Fischer No. 9. In the third inning, Kyler Wolfe had pinch hit for Krupp and delivered an infield RBI single.
"I was surprised, and happy," leadoff hitter Fetherolf said about the bottom of the lineup. "Today was the most important day for it to happen. It was 50-50, when they tied it up. They're the best team in the league, and it was very scary. But I knew if my team got them to hit pop flies, made plays in the field and get some hits, we had a chance."
Mattingly went up 2-0 in the first when Fetherolf singled to right, went to second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored on Cole Lavery's single to center. Seth Luce then smacked a two-out, RBI triple to right. It grew to 5-0 in the third, when Luce was hit by a pitch, Conner Day walked, Wolfe came through his big hit in the hole at short, and Fischer rapped a two-out, two-run single to right.
Southpaw J'kel Dansby looked to be on cruise control with the lead, allowing just one hit through the first three innings. But Edward Jones won its league for a reason.
In the fourth, Conner Bottomley's two-out, two-run double scored Justin McLaughlin and Lleyton Rector, making it 5-2. With two out in the fifth, Will Bolte and McLaughlin hit back-to-back doubles and two runs scored on Julien Battles' single to center when the relay throw went awry. But Dansby got a big strikeout with the go-ahead run at third.
Mattingly had the opening it needed, when in the top of the sixth, Maddox Carter gloved Pete Moberg's shot to center, and doubled the runner off first.
Lavery, who went 3-for-3, got the final two outs in the sixth, picking up the win in relief of Dansby, who struck out seven in 5.1 innings. Fischer added two singles,
McLaughlin, who doubled and singled, took the loss after relieving starter Treig Loughman in the third. Rector also doubled and singled and Cameron Walpole had two singles as both teams collected nine hits. But most of Mattingly's came early, and they came late for Edward Jones.
"Unfortunately, we waited too long to start hitting the ball," said Edward Jones manager Shannon McLaughlin, whose team played LMH for the North Newark tourney title Friday. "These are always good games with them (Mattingly), and we knew it would be a battle. We fought from behind all year and had been in situations like this all year, but just weren't able to get it done this time."
Mattingly was able to put things together at the right time. It didn't hurt that assistant coach Wes Luce won four consecutive coin flips in the Shrine, making Mattingly the home team each time. "It was all about the toss, and I was actually late today, making sure Wes would do it again," Davis quipped. "It (being home) turned out to be really big in this game."
"I've believed in these kids. You just can't stop them," Davis said. "Last year, our 12-year-olds were on a team that finished in last place, so it really is a Cinderella story. They found a way in every game, and it seemed like it was someone different in every game."
LHM and Mound City Wright Brothers set the tone for thrillers in the earlier third-place game. Wright Brothers rallied to take a 5-3 lead, only to see LMH score three times in the bottom of the sixth for a 6-5 win, on William Englefield's two-out, two-strike RBI single.
Prior to the title game, Xavier Holmes of Mound City Energy Co-Op received the Chris Schell Memorial Award, given annually to the player who shows the most leadership, spirit and good sportsmanship.
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Mattingly walks it off for Varsity title in Shrine instant classic
