Junction City ends Woodlawn's streak

FAYETTEVILLE -- Junction City Coach Joe Hammett isn't big on streaks, but he was willing to make an exception Friday.

The Dragons rode the arm of junior pitcher Kellan Hodge and got a huge run-scoring hit from sophomore Gabe Richard to beat Woodlawn 2-1 to win the Class 2A baseball state championship in front of a spirited crowd at Baum-Walker Stadium.

"Just an all-around excellent high school baseball game," said Hammett, whose team won its first state championship since 2014 while putting an end to Woodlawn's bid to capture a fourth consecutive crown. "Coach [Tommy] Richardson does such a great job with that program. In 2016, Woodlawn's streak started by beating us 2-0 right here at Baum. Truth be told, this one started off the same way as that one did.

"But we started to calm down a bit as the game went on. We had that one big inning where we finally got the lead, and we were able to make it hold up because neither team was hitting the cover off the ball."

Hits were hard to come because of both teams' starters, particularly Hodge. The 5-10 right-hander threw three consecutive balls to start the game before settling in. He gave up the 1 run while striking out 9 in 6 innings. He gave way to senior T.J. Bale in the seventh after throwing 110 pitches.

"He's been clutch all year," Hammett said of Hodge, who was named the game's MVP. "Early on, he got too many 3-2 counts, and that put his pitch total up high late. But you couldn't ask for any more out of him.

"When we needed to get out of innings, he made the right pitches."

Woodlawn (22-9), which had lost two previous games to Junction City (30-8) prior to Friday's final, got a workmanlike effort out of senior hurler Nick Maynard, who allowed 3 hits and struck out 2 in 4 innings. At one point, he retired 9 of 10 batters over the first 3 innings until the Dragons finally got to him in the fourth.

"He fought, as did all of my guys," Woodlawn Coach Tommy Richardson said. "Junction City is a great team and is probably more talented than we are, but I've got a bunch of fighters. And when you've got a bunch of fighters, you've got a chance to win.

"We were right there with them and took a lead into the fourth inning. Nobody gave us much of a chance to get back here this year, and if it wasn't for a hustle play there in that fourth, things just may have gone a little differently for us."

The Bears grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning when freshman Parker Rotton scored on Garrett Cowart's RBI double. But Woodlawn mustered just two hits after that, which enabled Junction City to hang around.

"When you've got two teams that are as familiar with each other as we are, you're going to have a tight game more times than not," Hammett said. "We know each other pretty well. But we were finally able to put some runners on and string some hits together when we needed them, and that was the difference in the ballgame."

No hit was bigger than the one delivered by Richard in the bottom of the fourth. Junior outfielder Tanner McLelland tied the game at 1-1 earlier in the frame when his sacrifice fly scored freshman Chase Wood. Three pitches later, Richard ripped a fastball down the left-field line for an RBI triple that sent senior Charles Hoof home to give Junction City the lead for good.

Richard may not have gotten a chance to put the Dragons in front if not for a collision. Woodlawn's second baseman and right fielder ran into each other while trying to catch a ball hit by Hoof, saving the Dragons an out in the pivotal inning.

Hodge maintained the lead over the next two innings before Bale came on in relief to close the door on a mini-rally.

"We made the plays when we got the opportunity," Hammett said. "This one is really special for me, personally, because of my seniors. They were here as freshmen when Woodlawn beat us a few years ago.

"It's a long way from Junction City to here, and that was a long, quiet ride. But it's because they were focused. They knew what was at stake, and I'm just glad we were able to end Woodlawn's streak."

Sports on 05/18/2019

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