When people think of a dramatic walk-off win, most of the time it is a deep home run, or a beautiful line drive-up the middle that scores the run. Not in the case of the Plymouth Big Red’s walk-off victory over the Mansfield Christian Flames in game two of their Saturday afternoon double header.
It came down to a bases loaded hit by a pitch plate appearance by Plymouth senior Shadd Collins.
The Flames were in the driver’s seat the entire game. They would jump out to an early 1-0 lead in the first and go on to score in every inning but two. Two singles and a walk in the opening frame would help build the confidence that the Flames have been looking for in this baseball season.
“We finally started hitting the ball. We are very young. I think I have 17 freshmen and sophomores between varsity and junior varsity.” Said Flames head coach Roger Dials. “I threw a sophomore, John Graham, in there to pitch and it was his first game ever and he did a fantastic job.”
You couldn’t tell it by looking at them that the Flames were made up of mainly sophomores. They jumped all over the Big Red as they built a 7-2 lead heading into the top of the sixth inning. The Flames got to Big Red pitcher Mitchell Chaffins early and often scoring in each of the first four innings including a three spot in the second that knocked him out of the game.
It wasn’t just the hitting that kept the Flames on fire, they were also playing very sound defense. They would not commit an error through the first five innings. “We had eight errors our last game so to see them come out and play good defense is motivating,” said Dials.
After what seemed to be an insurance run in the top of the sixth, the error bug bit the Flames in the home half.
Big Red Junior Tyson Beebe started things off with a single. Junior hunter Baily drew a walk, followed by a Flames error. The bases were loaded and the Big Red had all of the momentum. Sophomore Grant Weltlin stepped into the batters box and watched two passed balls go by the Flames catcher and two runs cross the plate. Weltlin would reach on an error that would have two aboard for senior John Gillum who delivers a hard liner over the short stops head to bring in two more Big Red runners.
The Big Red would tally 5 runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the ball game up at 7. They would then hold the Flames scoreless in the top of the seventh to set up a dramatic finish in the home half.
Again, Beebe started things off with a single followed by two more singles later in the inning by Young and Weltlin. Flames reliever Abe Jessee would record two strikeouts without letting a run cross the plate to give the Flames two outs with bases loaded and a chance to push the game into extras. Collins stepped to the plate and quickly got behind in the count and on the fourth pitch of the at bat.
Collins turned as the ball plunked him square in the back that allowed the winning run to score on a hit by a pitch. The Big Red walked off with an 8-7 victory.
Graham threw a gem of a ball game for the Flames with five strikeouts on just three hits. He allowed five runs, only two were earned. Reed Vrooman, Chris Vealey, and Tim Smith all had two hits with everyone tallying two singles each.
For the Big Red, Young collected three hits, and Beebe added two.
The Big Red won the first game of the double header 13-3 in five innings.
Box Score
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th Runs Hits Errors
Mansfield Christian 1 3 1 1 0 1 0 7 7 4
Plymouth 0 2 0 0 0 5 1 8 9 3
