Jones delivers walk-off win for Knights in a nine-inning victory over Orrville
May 5, 2014
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By Dave Mast
Confidence can take a team a long way in any sport.
Gaining it while winning a crucial and scintillating game makes it all the better.
West Holmes faced Orrville Thursday, May 1 at West Holmes High School, in a key game for them, not only because of their record, but because they needed a boost in confidence.
They definitely got one, knocking off a quality Red Riders team which threw not one but two pitchers slated to throw Div. I baseball next season in college.
It may have taken nine innings, but West Holmes eventually ground out a 3-2 victory in extra innings, which included a wild celebration following Levi Jones baseball loaded shot to end it.
Orrville struck first, scoring in the opening frame, and West Holmes responded with a run in the second on an RBI hit by A.J. Race.
Orrville again forged a one run lead at 2-1 with a tally in the fourth, but the Knights responded immediately, when Trevor Kiner delivered a run-scoring single in the bottom of the inning.
From that point on it was the Levi Jones vs. J.T. Perez Show.
The two hurlers went tow-to-toe, tossing goose eggs from the fifth through seventh innings.
Jones was spectacular in his seven inning stint, allowing just one earned run on three hits and four walks. He struck out 10 Red Riders batters.
Perez, headed for the University of Cincinnati next season, was equally impressive, allowing the two runs on six hits, with 11 punch outs and no walks.
Jordan Stutzman relieved Jones in the eighth and would be nearly flawless in his two innings, striking out five while allowing a lone walk and no hits.
While West Holmes pitchers were doing the job on the mound and the defense was doing its thing in the field, the Knights were threatening to end the game in both the seventh and eighth innings, when they got runners in scoring position but could not push across a run.
Then came the ninth, when Army-bound ace Stuart Schley took over pitching duties for the Red Riders.
Schley allowed a walk to Stutzman and singles to Dillon Baird and Scotty Troyer amidst a pair of outs.
With the bases loaded and two down, up stepped Jones, who has been stellar at the plate this season.
Despite being hitless on the night, Jones delivered in a huge way, launching a rocket to the gap in right-center to send Stutzman scampering home with the game-winning run.
It was awesome, said Race, the lone Knight to collect two hits. We all ran out and mobbed Levi after it happened. We were banging on his helmet and jumping around.
The victory improved the Knights to 6-8 on the season, but more importantly, it showed them that they can definitely compete with upper echelon teams and beat top quality pitching.
That was a very big win for us, said Race. We kept fighting back and fighting back, and never gave up. We beat a good team and some really great pitching, so it really helped us with our confidence moving ahead.
