Pirates sweep past Hawks for first time in a long time
Cameron Coblentz was one of several key components of Garaway’s two wins over Hiland recently, something that hasn’t happened for many years.
After their first Inter-Valley Conference South bash two days earlier that saw Garaway pull out an extra-inning win, the Hiland Hawks traveled to Sugarcreek to square off with the Pirates on Wednesday, May 11. It only took seven innings this time, but the victor was the same, with the Pirates pulling out a 6-3 win.
The win was special for the Pirates because it meant a sweep of the Hawks. According to Garaway head coach Justin Elmore, that is something he hasn’t ever been able to say since taking over the reins of the program 16 years ago.
“I have no idea when the last time was that Garaway would have swept Hiland, but it hasn’t happened in my 16 years here,” Elmore said. “I told the kids that right after we were done shaking hands, and I think what was most gratifying was that we didn’t panic in either game. We kept plugging along, we got some great pitching in both games, and I really don’t think it was a secret that winning that overtime game on Monday night gave us a lot of momentum and confidence heading into the game Wednesday.”
In the Monday contest, Garaway got a great effort from starter and winner Brady Roden. On Wednesday his twin brother Alexander Roden toed the rubber and followed suit, giving the Pirates another stellar effort.
Garaway pecked away at Hiland starter Isaak Yoder and scored runs in each of the first four innings. Garaway never got the big inning it wanted, but Elmore said getting a leg up early was huge for his team.
A Brady Roden double to start the game and Javin Beachy’s RBI single spotted the Pirates to a lead. Payton Miller doubled and scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0 through two innings.
Hiland threatened in the third when Brayden Kaufman singled, Grant Miller reached on a bunt single and Nolan Yoder drew a walk, but with two outs Roden induced a pop out off the bat of slugging first baseman Jeff Todero to end the threat.
A pair of Hiland errors opened the gate for a Zach Misko RBI hit, and Garaway held a 4-0 lead through three. Singles off the bats of Gabe Amicone and Alex Roden allowed two more runs to score when Doran Mast drove a double to right for a 6-0 Garaway lead.
The Hawks would finally break through in the fifth inning. Consecutive singles from Isaak Yoder, Grant Miller and Cody Yoder brought in the first run. Nolan Yoder walked to load the bases, and with two outs Alex Weaver drove in a run with a single. Another run scored on an error to allow the Hawks to trim the lead in half at 6-3.
The bats went silent until the seventh, when Elmore approached Roden about whether he could go out to the mound for the seventh inning. Roden responded like a bulldog.
“Before I could even say anything, he said, ‘Don’t even think about taking me out coach,’” Elmore said. “That’s the kind of mentality you want from your pitchers.”
Grant Miller singled for his third hit of the game, but Roden dug deep and retired the next three hitters for the win.
Grant Miller collected three of Hiland’s seven hits while Isaak Yoder allowed nine hits and six runs — three earned — over four frames. Alec Weaver fired two scoreless, hitless innings in relief.
Alex Roden went the full seven innings, scattering seven hits while striking out seven and walking two. All nine starters for the Pirates had one hit, with Mast coming up with the two RBI.
Elmore said the defense has gotten better during Garaway’s late-season successes while the offense has done just enough to win games. He said the biggest factor in his team’s success has been on the mound.
“We got great starts from the twins against Hiland, but our pitching has been our bread and butter all year,” Elmore said. “We’ve played extremely well the last three weeks, and our starting pitching during that stretch has been incredible. Our guys are believing in themselves, even though we know we can get better. But these kids have earned this.”
Elmore said over the past 16 years, there have been many short, tough conversations following losses to Hiland where his team was in position to earn a win and didn’t. He said having kids who have been tested by fire in other sports has helped them learn how to win, and that was what happened after the Pirates did something that hasn’t happened for nearly two decades.