Paola Stuns Trojans 5-4

By David Wolman, davidwolman@miconews.com

OTTAWA ­— It was all within their grasp.

No outs. The bases loaded. The game was tied. The winning run 90 feet away in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Osawatomie had all of the momentum in its favor.

The Trojans had scored three runs the inning before to rally from a three-run deficit, and they were in a situation in which a ball to the outfield wins the game.

“That’s exactly what we were looking for,” coach Brett Woolery said. “I just needed one of our guys to hit the ball into the outfield, and we win the game.”

That never panned out.

Three straight Trojan batters were retired to end the inning, and Matt Werkowitch hit the game-winning single on a chopper up the middle in the eighth inning as eighth-seeded Paola stunned top seed Osawatomie 5-4 on Monday in the quarterfinals of their Class 4A Ottawa regional tournament at Orlis Cox Sports Complex.

Paola advanced to face the Ottawa in a semifinal Tuesday in Ottawa.

Initially, it appeared that Osawatomie, not Paola, was destined for the semifinals. The Trojans looked like they would put the finishing touches on a come-from-behind win in the seventh.

D.J. Smith led off the inning with a walk. Jasper Needham followed with a line-drive single to right field, forcing Paola starter Jonathan Pomatto (six innings, four runs, seven hits, nine strikeouts) to exit the game.

Paola second baseman Kurtis Burton then had trouble getting his hands on a sharp-hit, low-roller, loading the bases for Osawatomie.

But the Trojans couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity.

Smith was forced out at home plate on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Sean Callahan. Vance Gorman hit a pop-up for the second out, and Riley Divine struck out to end the inning.

Matt Werkowitch was brilliant in relief of Pomatto. Werkowitch struck out the last four Trojans he faced and retired six of seven overall.

The late-inning dramatics would have never happened without a three-run sixth by Osawatomie.

Ronnie Pursley and Sean Callahan, who also threw a complete game on the mound for the Trojans, connected on back-to-back doubles to start the inning. Pursley scored on Callahan’s deep drive that bounced off the center field fence.

Pursley and Callahan each went 2-for-3 in the game.

“I think Ronnie did a good job,” Woolery said. “I kind of see it in his eyes sometimes. He’s one of the leaders on this team.”

Riley Divine followed with a triple, in which the ball went past a diving Adam Hermreck in center field, to score Callahan and tie the game at 4.

Osawatomie struck first in the game. Callahan staked the Trojans to a quick 1-0 lead on a two-out double in the first.

After Cody McNutt gave Paola its first lead, 2-1, on a two-run double in the fourth, Osawatomie appeared to have a big bottom of the inning brewing.

Pursley led off with a bloop double into center, and Callahan followed with a walk. But both would be left stranded as Pomatto rebounded to retire the next three Trojans.

Despite the loss, it was a season to remember for Osawatomie. They flip-flopped their record from a year ago (5-12 in 2007; 12-5 this season) and finished second in the Pioneer league in both the regular season and league tournament.

“Our seniors didn’t frown on anything that we did this year. We had a great year,” Woolery said. “It just didn’t work out in the end.”

Osawatomie takes second in Pioneer League tournament

RICHMOND — Central Heights scored all five of its runs with two outs, as the Vikings captured the Pioneer League tournament title on Thursday with a 5-1 win over the Trojans.

It didn’t take too long for the Vikings to get going.

Osawatomie starter Sean Callahan retired the first two Vikings he faced. But just when it appeared he would get out of the inning unscathed, Bob Wolfe extended it with a two-out single.

Adam Horstick followed by reaching on an error, setting up a scoring opportunity for Skye Mills.

Mills delivered, hitting a two-run single into right field for an early 2-0 Central Heights lead.

That became the theme of the game.

In the third, Callahan induced two ground balls to start the inning. However, an error extended the inning. And again, the Vikings made the Trojans pay.

Mills launched a double, allowing Horstick to score for a 3-0 lead.

Osawatomie attempted to chip away at that lead.

Jasper Needham hit a one-out single and then advanced to third on a passed ball that Central Heights catcher Aaron Schaefer had trouble locating.

Ronnie Pursley followed by hitting a high chopper up the middle, scoring Needham on a groundout to cut Central Heights’ lead to 3-1.

Needham had two of Osawatomie’s three hits.

However, that was all the Trojans were able to get off Central Heights fireballer Tyler Burkdoll. He retired the last six Trojans he faced. Burkdoll struck out seven and walked two.