SPRINGDALE -- Josh Lantzsch stood in the batter's box for a few seconds and watched the arc of the baseball as it rose into the afternoon sky then disappeared over the left-field fence.
It was a storybook moment, one that every little boy who starts out in T-ball dreams of. It was Lantzsch's final home game, and his final at bat on the field he'd spent countless hours and hit hundreds of baseballs after practice with his dad, Jamie, serving as the pitcher.
Arkansas State Baseball Championships
at Baum Stadium, Fayetteville
Today
Class 6A
Jonesboro vs. Mountain Home, 10 a.m.
Class 4A
Shiloh Christian vs. Ashdown, 12:30 p.m.
Class A
Viola vs. Armorel, 3 p.m.
Class 7A
Conway vs. Bryant, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday
Class 2A
Junction City vs. Woodlawn, 10 a.m.
Class 3A
Booneville vs. Horatio, 12:30 p.m.
Class 5A
Sylvan Hills vs. Magnolia, 3 p.m.
In the excitement of the moment, he rounded first base and missed the bag.
Lantzsch stopped and circled back, touching the base, then continued his home run trot around the diamond, where he was mobbed at home plate by his teammates.
"That's something he can take with him forever," Shiloh Christian coach Moe Henry said of Lantzsch's dinger.
This has been a storybook year for the senior shortstop and three-hole hitter for the Saints (14-10), who take on Ashdown at 12:30 p.m. today in the Class 4A state championship game at Baum Stadium. Shiloh Christian has reeled off five postseason wins in a row, four of those shutouts.
Lantzsch is batting .368 with 9 doubles, 19 RBIs, 17 runs scored, 8 stolen bases, and the one home run. In the state semifinal win over Central Arkansas Christian, Lantzsch was 2 for 4 with a pair of RBIs as the Saints advanced to the state title game for the first time since winning the program's third consecutive state title in 2012.
"Whenever he's at the plate, we just feel like he's going to get a big hit," Henry said. "He's worked real hard. He's up here all the time working extra with his dad."
From 2009 to 2012, the Saints were the most dominant 4A team in the state under former coach Jimmy Harris. The Saints finished as state runner-up in 2009 then reeled off three consecutive state titles and sent a number of players to the collegiate level.
The success of the program, and having an older brother in the program, ignited the passion for Lantzsch, he said.
"Growing up and watching the Saints play in the state championship was always a dream of mine," he said. "Now that it's here, I'm really excited about it.
"Seeing them and watching them play for the championship was something I wanted to be a part of."
Lantzsch moved to shortstop this season after the player who'd been the starter for three years transferred. Lantzsch made it clear to his coach he was the guy to move into that spot.
"In Josh's mind and his heart, he always felt like he was a shortstop," Henry said. "That's goes with being a leader, playing shortstop and batting three hole. His mindset was always just give me a shot, let me compete for it."
The Saints were a favorite to advance to the title game a year ago, led by a strong senior class. But the team came up short in a semifinals loss.
This season, the young Saints made it their goal to reach the title game, Lantzsch said. In fact, when the season started back in early March, Lantzsch began using the Twitter hashtag #roadtobaum.
"Last year we came close but didn't quite get there," he said. "So this year when we made it to the semis, we realized this was something we had to do, and we didn't want to come up short."
Lantzsch said the disappointment of not reaching the title game last year fueled him to work harder in the offseason, especially on his hitting. After batting lower in the order as a junior, he put in the work to hit higher and become a bigger offensive force.
"Before last year, I probably hit three days a week out here with my dad," Lantzsch said. "But this year, it was almost an every day thing. I probably hit five days every week. Just realizing this was my last chance made me want to put in the time."
Sports on 05/20/2016