Concordia Lutheran scored 6 runs, all with two outs, and Connor Jones pitched an outstanding game as the Crusaders took down the nationally ranked Prestonwood Christian Academy team 6-0. Concordia Lutheran will now meet Central Catholic in the TAPPS Division I Title Game at noon on Wednesday.
Concordia jumped out with 4 big runs in the top of the 2nd. Hugh Wilhelm led off the inning with a double. After a pop out and strike out, Landon Martinez single to left field moving Wilhelm to third. Successive walks to Cole Lanclos and Ronin McCraw score Wilhelm. Nolan Traeger was hit by a pitch that brought in Martinez. Eoghan Collins stepped up next and singled on a shallow fly ball that scored Lanclos and McCraw and Concordia led 4-0.
Concordia picked up another in the top of the 5th. With two outs, Jackson Rhodes singled to left field. Rhodes advanced to second on a wild pitch. Rhodes then scored on a fly ball behind shortstop that was dropped in a crowd of players.
They picked up one more run in the top of the 7th. Wilhelm singled with 2 outs, moved to 2nd on a Kamryn Jockers walk and scored on dropped fly ball. That made it 6-0.
Meanwhile, Concordia pitcher Connor Jones was shutting down the Prestonwood offense. With a title game opportunity on the line, Jones went out in the 7th and got 2 ground outs and a strikeout to seal the victory. Jones pitched the complete game shut out giving up only 3 hits and no walks while striking out 9. He was named the THSB Division I Semifinal Game MVP.
“There was a lot of anticipation and a lot of preparation for this game,” Jones commented. “Our coach told us that we have had a tough schedule that would prepare us for this game. We were not going to back down. We were going to give it everything we had. And I think we did that.”
Head Coach Royce Kennedy shared his thoughts on the game: “This win was huge. The way our kids played tonight. We’re so young it’s like they don’t know any better. Connor Jones pitched an outstanding game. He was ahead in the count most of the night. And he stayed focused throughout the game. To be back in the championship game is awesome. And we are excited to be playing Central Catholic. It will be a great game no doubt.”
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |||
| Concordia Lutheran | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 1 | ||
| Prestonwood Christian | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
