Published: June 10, 2007 12:02 am            

Another one-run win for Wildkats

Kokomo rallies for 4-3 stunner; joins Class 4A’s Final 4

SOUTH BEND — Kokomo’s baseball team captured three straight one-run contests in reaching the Elite Eight round of the IHSAA’s Class 4A State Baseball Tournament.

Here at Coveleski Stadium Saturday afternoon, the Kats performed their magic once again — perhaps taking it up a notch or two.

The 3rd-ranked Wildkats (27-3) moved into the Final 4 for the first time since 1985 with yet another one-run nail-biter, registering a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over No. 9 ranked Homestead (26-5).

For the better part of a sunny, 80 degree day here, Homestead and its Indiana University-bound left-hander Kyle Leiendecker owned Kokomo as no one had this season.

Through five innings Leiendecker had yielded just an infield single, at one point striking out nine of 10 batters. Offensively the Spartans had punched across three runs against Wildkat ace Bryce Robinson, leaving the Wildkats in desperate straits.

The Kats had a choice, pack it in or somehow find a way in just two innings to score four runs — as many as they had scored total in 26 previous postseason innings.

To no real surprise, the Kats chose the latter — then made it happen.

Coach Steve Edwards said he believed the Kats would eventually get to Leiendecker.

“In talking to some coaches this past week, the message I got was ‘be patient.’ [Because of early season injuries] he hadn’t pitched a lot of innings and the feeling was he might tire late in the game.”

Edwards said he told his players just that when he made his only visit to the mound in the fifth inning — to just hang on and get out of the inning with no further damage. Homestead had just scored two runs to take the 3-0 lead when Edwards made his plea and Robinson responded, getting the Spartans’ Nos. 3-4 hitters on a grounder and strikeout.

In the sixth, after two were out, the Kats began their mission from the dead.

Corey Ringley walked, moving Ryan Herr, who also had walked, to second. Robinson, who to that point had Kokomo’s only hit, laced a single to left-center field, scoring Herr.

Then Edwards made a move seldom seen at any level. He sent Tyler Imbierowicz to the plate after having used a designated hitter in that spot the previous two at-bats. Imbierowicz proved his coach correct — singling to load the bases.

That’s when the Kats got a little lucky. Evan Skiles hit a high fly ball, just in foul territory down the left field line. Jordan Wise was in position to make the play for what would have been the final out of the inning, but dropped the ball.

“That was key,” Edwards said. “The ball should have been caught and the inning over, but you have to give Skiles credit — he took advantage of the opportunity.

Did he ever.

On the next pitch, Skiles slammed a two-run single, tying the game at 3-3. That left it up to Craig Dollens, who singled home Imbierwicz with the go-ahead run. That sent Leiendecker packing, but by then the damage was done.

Of course Robinson had to lock up Homestead for two more innings for the Kats to get the win and neither inning was a breeze.

In the sixth with runners at first and second and one out, Homestead’s Bob Glover smashed a grounder to Andrew Quinnette’s left at third base. Quinnette dove, made the stop and tagged the runner going to third. Robinson then fanned the next batter.

Homestead applied more pressure in the bottom of the seventh after Quinnette again retired the leadoff hitter by corralling a high bounder at third. The Spartans’ Kyle Williams doubled over the head of Herr in centerfield but Robinson regrouped to get Ryan Cicero on a called third strike.

Facing the Nos. 3-4 hitters with the tying run at second base, Robinson allowed an infield single before getting Leiendecker on an infield fly to T.J. Weir for the final out.

Robinson fanned 12 and walked four in improving to 10-0 this season — 19-0 over two seasons. The Nos. 2-3-4 hitters in Homestead’s lineup who boasted batting averages of .383, .463 and. 506 were just 1 of 10 (the hit being an infield single) with seven strikeouts against the Kokomo lefty.

“Some games [Robinson] just dominates, but [Saturday] he really had to pitch smart — in, out and up,” Edwards said. “That’s a great hitting team he faced and to hold them to seven hits is amazing.”

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.