Watkins Memorial baseball falls in tight OHSAA district semifinal
PATASKALA — In the pitcher’s duel he expected Monday, Watkins Memorial baseball coach Donnie Schone thought one turn in momentum might be enough to decide a Division I district semifinal.
It ultimately was, but not in the way Schone wanted.
A close play at home plate to end the third inning prevented the seventh-seeded Warriors from breaking a scoreless tie against eighth-seeded Canal Winchester, and the Indians capitalized with a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to post a 3-0 win and end Watkins’ season in a district semifinal for the second year in a row.
“We did a nice job fighting back, we just didn’t get key hits until late,” said Schone, whose team finished 19-5. “We faced a good pitcher, they got timely hitting when they needed it and we didn’t. It was all about who didn’t make mistakes. We had our chances and it looked like we had the first run, but we didn’t.”
Cullen McFarland reached on a one-out fielder’s choice in the third, stole second base and tried to score on Sam Johnson’s single to center but was thrown out, then ejected for arguing.
The Indians (20-5) took advantage in the fourth on pitcher Joey Helms’ RBI single. Wright State signee Zade Fusselman singled home Canal’s other runs in the fifth, when the Indians loaded the bases twice.
Canal Winchester will play second-seeded New Albany in a district final Wednesday. The Eagles beat the Warriors in a district semifinal last year, scoring four runs in the final inning and ultimately winning the state championship.
Helms struck out seven, walked one and scattered three hits Monday.
Watkins’ Connor Parsons gave up only four hits and struck out eight, but issued two of his three walks and hit two batters in the fifth.
“I had to keep them off-balance. I knew my defense had my back,” Helms said. “It’s an easier feeling to pitch when we’re ahead. That takes some weight off my shoulders.”
Watkins threatened in each of the final two innings.
The Warriors, who repeated as Licking County League-Buckeye Division champions, stranded two runners in the sixth and in the seventh, Caleb Wheeler led off with an infield single and scored on Ethan Ryan’s sacrifice groundout. Younker flew out to right to end the game.
“This senior class continued to establish the expectation and traditions of what it is at Watkins,” Schone said. “Sure we’d love to change more things. You always want one more (game) and we didn’t get that.”
dpurpura@gannett.com
Twitter: @ThisWeekDave
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Watkins Memorial baseball falls in tight OHSAA district semifinal
