SMCC knocks off St. Paul in 9 innings

CASTALIA — St. Mary Central Catholic just wanted to put a little pressure on St. Paul. The Panthers were without a hit through eight innings, but the thought of one hit helping SMCC seemed fitting. In the ninth inning, it happened. Cayden Wikel singled before Cullen Dillard roped a double to center. Wikel then scored on a wild pitch as the third-seeded Panthers knocked off second-seeded and No. 3-ranked St. Paul 2-1 in nine innings in a Division VII district semifinal game at Lions Park on Thursday. "We have a dugout full of gamers and they don't give up until someone tells us we have to give up," SMCC coach Ryan Myers said. "I told them we were going to go out there against St. Paul, and regardless of the situation give them seven innings of hell. We were able to do that. The kids never gave up." The Panthers improved to 17-7 and will face New Riegel (13-11) at 2 p.m. Saturday back at Lions Park for a district championship. "It means a lot, especially after last year," Wikel said. "We had a heartbreaker where we could have come out with the win. We came in with a chip on our shoulder today and we're going to come in with a chip on our shoulder next game. We're not done." With one out in the top of the ninth inning, Wikel singled into left field. He built confidence with a walk against St. Paul pitcher Alex Marsh earlier in the game. "I was really angry about my previous at-bats, but it felt good," Wikel said. "I thought I was seeing him well after my walk, so I felt good going into that at-bat." Dillard's double to center bounced off the glove of the St. Paul (21-4-1) center fielder. After a pitch to Grant Swain, the Panthers looked to put a bunt down. Wikel broke for home, perhaps distracting Marsh. The pitch sailed high, allowing Wikel to score. "We discussed doing it on the first pitch," Myers said. "I gave a fake sign on the first pitch. Even if the first pitch was a strike, the suicide squeeze was the next one. It happened to roll our way. Sometimes that's enough to put pressure on the defense." St. Paul coach Aaron Fries saw the play coming. "We were prepared for the suicide squeeze on the winning run," he said. "The ball just sailed a little high and (catcher) Gabe (Snyder) couldn't quite get it. We were on the wrong end of a great high school baseball game. Couldn't be prouder of the way the kids played today." Toby Gibson finished off the game on the mound. After coming on in relief in the eighth, he put St. Paul down in order in the ninth. Of the five outs he recorded, four came via the strikeout. "With Cayden starting, he throws a little bit harder," Myers said. "He's able to go in there with a good 1-2 mix. Toby comes in and hits his spots. That's what he's done for us all year. I like how they compliment each other." Marsh and Wikel dueled most of the day. St. Paul got on the board in the bottom of the second inning. Isaac Kalizewski doubled before Brady Fritz poked a double. Wikel was able to bounce back with the next three outs to strand Fritz. It wasn't until the fourth inning that the Panthers responded. Dillard walked, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Swain and scored when a ball hit by Adam Burch wasn't fielded cleanly and trickled into center. From there, the two aces matched zeroes. St. Paul had runners on second and third with no out in the third inning, but Wikel got a strikeout, made a diving catch in foul ground and got out of the inning on a line drive. "I was walking more people than I would have liked to," Wikel said. "I was trying my best to stay composed because it's not a run until they get over the plate." That was the start of nine straight retired by Wikel. He walked two batters in the sixth inning, but got a pair of strikeouts to avoid damage. St. Paul had a chance to win it in the seventh. Casey Fries walked before Snyder was hit by a pitch. Wikel induced a short flyout before a liner to Blake Finneran was caught and turned into a double play. "I don't think he's the type of guy that feels a whole lot of pressure," said Myers of Wikel. "A couple runners get on base and he locks in even more when the pressure is on. That's the type of kid he is. That's the type of athlete he is." Marsh didn't give up a hit until the ninth inning. He struck out the side in the first, used a 6-4-3 double play to get out of the sixth and struck out the side in the seventh. "We talked all week about putting pressure on their defense because their pitchers have a lot of strikeouts in the Firelands Conference," Myers said. "The defense hasn't nearly had to make as many plays as our defense. If you look at the stats, the numbers are much higher on our end." The loss brings an end to the career of five St. Paul seniors: Gabe Snyder, Fritz, Izaac Snyder, Aiden Graves and Landon Fries. "I am extremely grateful I got to coach such a great group of young men," coach Fries said. "Can't say enough about our seniors. Their leadership this season was second to none. They set a standard that I can only hope future classes will try and emulate." SMCC advances to face a New Riegel team that won its district semifinal 6-1 over Arcadia on Thursday. The Panthers won a regular-season meeting between the Sandusky Bay Conference River Division teams 7-1 on April 20 in Sandusky. "We're taking it one day at a time," Myers said. "I told them Wednesday to be prepared for practice Friday from 3:30 to 5:30 at Dorn Park. That's what we're going to do. We're going to get back to work tomorrow and be ready to go Saturday." SMCC 000 100 001 — 2 2 1 St. Paul 010 000 000 — 1 5 1 WP: Gibson. LP: Marsh. 2B: (SMCC) Dillard; (SP) Kalizewski, Fritz