It was a pretty simple formula.
"Baseball doesn't have to be a hard game if you just do the basics," Helias coach Chris Wyrick said after the Crusaders pushed across a run in the bottom of the sixth inning Thursday to wrap up the regular season with a 3-2 victory against the Sedalia Smth-Cotton Tigers in Central Missouri Activities Conference action at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex.
"We got a guy on, got him over, got him in. That's something we haven't done enough of this season."
With the game tied at 2 in the sixth, Ethan Holzhauser led off with a screaming double down the line in left. Courtesy runner Cole Stumpe then advanced to third on a fly ball to center by Sam Schell, then scored on another fly to center by Jacob Watson with what proved to be the game-winner.
"Sam did a good job with a pitch he could handle and he put a good swing on it," Wyrick said. "Watson then did the same thing."
The Tigers threatened in the top of the seventh. Brandon Scheulen allowed consecutive one-out singles before striking out the next two batters to end the game.
"He likes to give me gray hairs," Wyrick said. "But he got out of that jam. When he believes in his ability, he can be really good."
Helias scored its other two runs in the third.
Scheulen led off with a single and was sacrificed to second by Alex Loethen. After a popout to second, Jake Weaver lined a single to left to score Scheulen.
"That was a very good at-bat," Wyrick said.
Zach Wolken followed with a single to put runners at first and second. Holzhauser then beat out a slow roller for an infield single and Weaver never stopped, rounding third and beating the throw home to give the Crusaders a 2-1 lead.
"If you can extend innings like we did there, that's going to hurt the other team," Wyrick said.
Smith-Cotton, who took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a rare home run at the Complex off the bat of Trint Grotzinger, tied the game at 2 in the top of the sixth. The Tigers loaded the bases on a single and two walks before a run came home on a passed ball.
Grotzinger took the loss, pitching into the sixth. He allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits while recording one strikeout for Smith-Cotton (11-18 overall, 2-4 CMAC).
Nate Roark pitched the first three innings, allowing a run on three hits. He struck out five.
"Outside of one pitch, he threw great," Wyrick said. "Realistically, he's maybe thrown 12 bad pitches all season. He's done his job all year."
Kaden Hampson pitched the next 21/3 innings, allowing an unearned run on a hit and three walks. Scheulen worked the final 12/3 innings to get the win, allowing two hits and striking out three.
Weaver finished with two hits in Helias' seven-hit attack.
Helias (14-9-1, 3-3) will start Class 6 District 6 Tournament play Monday against Blue Springs (13-18) in Sedalia.
"It's going to be crucial we do things like that (Monday) against Blue Springs," Wyrick said. "We did some good things tonight, we could have done some things better at the plate, but if we can do that, we can be tough to beat."
The game between the fifth-seeded Crusaders and fourth-seeded Wildcats is slated for a 5:45 p.m. start