CLASS 3A BASEBALL

Koch shoulders load for Wildcats

HARDING ACADEMY 4,

HORATIO 3

FAYETTEVILLE -- Harding Academy senior Dalton Koch continued to make a big impact for the Wildcats on Friday in the Class 3A state baseball championship game.

After pitching a one-hitter and hitting for the cycle earlier in the tournament, Koch was the winning pitcher and scored the go-ahead run in a 4-3 victory against Horatio at Baum Stadium.

"This whole tournament we just played so well together," Koch said. "I do everything I can to help this team. They do everything they can to help me when I'm pitching as well. It's a team effort. We do it for each other."

Koch reached on a fielder's choice, then came around to score on a wild pitch to give Harding Academy a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh inning. The run scored after the inning was extended following a two-out error from Horatio (27-8).

"As soon as they got me around to third base, I wanted to come in for these guys," Koch said. "They scored the other runs. I wanted to finish it off for these guys."

Koch, the game's MVP, pitched 6 innings, allowing 6 hits and 3 earned runs while striking out a batter.

"He has finished up a phenomenal season," Harding Academy Coach Shane Fullerton said. "We are just blessed to be a part in the lives of a bunch of great athletes. I can't say enough about this team and the senior class."

It was the second consecutive state championship for Harding Academy which jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, then led 3-1 after the top of the fifth inning.

Horatio battled back, using a two-hit, two-run fifth to tie the score 3-3 on Dakota Frachiseur's bases-loaded single.

"That was a big inning," Horatio Coach Lance Spigner said. "We got a big hit and kind of swung the momentum in our favor. We had a chance in the sixth as well, but we just couldn't take advantage."

The Lions had their opportunities throughout, leaving 10 runners left on base, including at least one in each inning. Koch was able to pitch out of potential jams thanks to his teammates.

"I wouldn't be a good pitcher without a good defense," Koch said. "I had some amazing plays behind me. I love those guys."

Horatio starter Wade Beasley allowed single runs in the first two innings but found his groove after that. He pitched perfect innings in the third and fifth before Harding Academy (30-7) broke through again with runs in the fifth and seventh.

"They are a really good team," Spigner said. "We didn't play a clean enough game to beat them. They are well-coached. We didn't score enough today to overcome that today."

Beasley went all 7 innings while allowing just 1 earned run and striking out 8.

"He did everything we could have asked from him," Spigner said of Beasley. "He settled in after the first. This is what he does. He gets stronger as the game goes along."

Harding Academy picked up its fourth state championship as Peydon Harlow closed the door in the seventh to earn the save.

"We knew this was going to be close," Fullerton said. "We would love to put a five-spot up there. But we knew there was a strong possibility that wasn't going to happen. Our kids have done a great job of battling all season."

Today’s state baseball championship games

at Baum Stadium, Fayetteville

CLASS 4A Nashville vs. Shiloh Christian, 10 a.m.

CLASS 2A Parkers Chapel vs. Spring Hill, 12:30 p.m.

CLASS 6A Benton vs. Greenwood, 3 p.m.

Sports on 05/19/2018

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