You don't need a big hit to win.
Sometimes a hard hit will do just fine.
Alex Loethen led off the bottom of the third inning with a hard-hit single to center Saturday to spark a five-run frame as the Helias Crusaders defeated the Eureka Wildcats 9-4 in the third-place game of the Capital City Invitational at Vivion Field.
"Alex did what we're trying to get everybody to do," Helias coach Chris Wyrick said. "I think it loosened everybody else up and we just went at it from there."
Even though the Crusaders went 2-1 in pool play Friday, it wasn't a great day for the Helias offense. Saturday looked like more of the same, as Helias sent just seven batters to the plate in the first two innings and trailed 2-0.
But Loethen, hitting out of the No. 8 spot, got the Crusaders going.
"It's amazing what can happen when you get the barrel of the bat on the ball in the strike zone, good things happen," Wyrick said.
Jason Binkley followed Loethen's hit by beating out a bunt and when the throw to first got away, the Crusaders had runners at second and third with nobody out.
"We've been stressing to Jason about using his speed and he did that today," Wyrick said. "You can't teach speed, it's a killer in every sport."
With Trevor Austin at the plate, a wild pitch scored Loethen and moved Binkley to third. Austin then belted a 2-2 pitch over the fence in left for a two-run home run to give Helias the lead at 3-2.
Later in the inning, Zach Woehr was on first with two outs when Zach Davidson singled to put runners at first and second. Michael Snyder drew a walk to load the bases before Kaleb Haley singled to left to score Woehr and Davidson to make it 5-2.
"That was big," Wyrick said. "Those were important runs. Kaleb is just a solid player that's taking advantage of his opportunities. He's bought in for playing for his teammates and his school."
Helias added a run in the fifth when Jacob Weaver led off with a single and moved to third one out later on a single by Snyder before coming home on a wild pitch.
Eureka cut its deficit in half with two runs in the sixth. But Helias answered with three in the bottom of the inning.
Binkley led off with a walk and moved to second on a wild pickoff throw. Austin then drilled a 1-1 pitch to the fence in right-center for a double to plate Binkley.
"He's pretty good," Wyrick understated.
Austin finished with two doubles and a home run Saturday and Wyrick was most impressed by his hit in the sixth.
"Trevor went opposite field on a pitch low and away," Wyrick said. "If he can do that consistently, teams are really going to have trouble finding a place to get him out at."
Zach Paschal followed with a single to score Austin. The Crusaders added another run later in the inning when Woehr reached on a fielder's choice, stole second, went to third on a groundout and scored on a single by Davidson.
Snyder came on in relief in the seventh, allowing a one-out single before getting the next batter to ground into a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.
It was one of three double plays the Crusaders turned against the Wildcats.
"Today was a good day," Wyrick said. "When you get good pitching and good defense, you're always going to give yourself a chance to win."
Dawson Meyer was the starter and winner for the Crusaders, working four innings. He allowed two runs on five hits and one walk. Those numbers aren't eye-popping, but don't tell the full story as Meyer worked out of jams in the second and third innings to limit the Wildcats to single runs in both frames.
"That's huge because if they put crooked numbers up in those innings, it's impossible to know what happens," Wyrick said. "That shouldn't be overlooked, he kept us in the game."
Davidson pitched the fifth and the sixth for the Crusaders before Snyder came on to close out the victory.
Eureka is now 6-4.
Helias (10-1), ranked No. 2 in Class 4, will host Iberia on Thursday.