With the bases loaded and nobody out, up came Ben Miller.
Miller lined the first pitch of his fourth at-bat into right-center field for an RBI single, bringing home Sam Wyrick from third and walking off a 4-3 eight-inning Helias Crusader win Friday against the St. Francis Borgia Knights at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex.
“He’s been huge all year for us,” Helias coach Chris Wyrick said. “I think he’s second on the team in RBI and he’s played like four or five fewer games. I felt confident he was going to put the ball in play hard and we were going to get a run in.”
Sam Wyrick led off the bottom of the eighth with his second triple of the day, sending a high fly ball to deep right-center field. Wyrick looked ready to stop at second, but turned on the burners after rounding the bag and slid in awkwardly ahead of the throw, dislodging the bag from the ground and causing a short stoppage in the game.
David Hofherr and Kase Winegar were intentionally walked to load the bases with nobody out, setting up Miller.
“Once we got (starting pitcher Jack Nobe) out of the game and got another guy in, I liked our chances, especially with the top of the order coming up,” Chris Wyrick said.
Sam Wyrick also started on the mound for Helias, holding the Borgia offense to three runs on three hits and four walks, while striking out five.
Wyrick was throwing head-to-head with Xavier commit Jack Nobe.
Nobe fired seven innings of three-run ball, allowing eight hits and one walk to the Crusaders.
“Offensively, I think we had a pretty good day,” Chris Wyrick said. “We had 10 hits, we didn’t get them all of Nobe, but we got eight off of him. To get eight off of him, he’s going to Xavier for a reason. To do that against a Division I guy is good for us just to battle and not give in.”
Borgia got on the board first with a run in the opening frame when Tanner McPherson reached base on a fielder’s choice, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a Kabren Koelling single.
Helias answered by taking the lead in the third.
Myles Gresham walked to start the frame, then Drew Miller dropped a sacrifice bunt to move Gresham to second before Sam Wyrick sent his first triple deep into right-center field.
Wyrick came across to score on a Hofherr sacrifice fly into right.
“At the plate, (Sam) had a great day,” Chris Wyrick said.
Borgia tied the game in the fifth when Jack Dunard was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a Reagan Kandlbinder walk, took third on a passed ball and scored on a McPherson sacrifice fly to center.
The Knights then jumped ahead again in the sixth, taking a 3-2 lead when Koelling singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, took third on a passed ball and scored on a Tyler Kromer groundout.
Helias followed by tying the game once again in the bottom of the sixth.
Hofherr singled on a line drive to short left-center, then Winegar hit a soft liner to center to put runners on first and second. Ben Miller followed with his first of two hits, sending a hard ground ball to the right of Borgia’s shortstop, who came up just short on a sliding stop, allowing Hofherr to round third and head to the plate.
“They’re fighters,” Chris Wyrick said. “They want to win, they fight and I’m proud of them for that.”
Trey Rice came on for the seventh and eighth in relief for Helias, holding the Knights scoreless while allowing only two baserunners on a walk and a hit batter. Rice struck out the final two batters he faced and collected the win.
“Trey Rice came in and did his job again,” Chris Wyrick said. “He came in and he did what he’s done all year. He came in, threw strikes and got people out. He’s 2-0 with three saves for a reason.”
Helias (11-2) ranked No. 3 in Class 5, won’t have much time to enjoy the win as the Crusaders hit the road to face Excelsior Springs at 2 p.m. today.
Borgia (9-2) will continue a state-ranked trip to mid-Missouri when it plays Class 4 No. 2 Southern Boone at 1:30 p.m. today.
Helias beat Borgia 2-0 in JV action Friday.