Sometimes the grand old game can be cruel to great teams, too.
To say the baseball did not bounce Baylor’s way in Wednesday’s TSSAA Division II-AA state quarterfinals would be an understatement.
A great season for the Red Raiders came to a shocking end at home in a best-of-three series with Knoxville Catholic, which swept a doubleheader to advance to next week’s Spring Fling. After a 5-2 victory in the opener, a fielder’s interference call helped the Fighting Irish walk off as as 2-1 winners in the second game.
Knoxville Catholic (28-9) will be joined in the DII-AA final four by Baylor rival McCallie, which swept a doubleheader at Father Ryan on Wednesday, 6-4 in nine innings and 11-8. Hayden Choate’s chopper through the middle drove in the winning runs in game one, while Hudson Calhoun hit a grand slam to help clinch a return trip to state for the reigning DII-AA champions.
This year’s DII-AA bracket will play out at Wilson Central High School in Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday before shifting to Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro for the title round on the final day.
After the end to Baylor’s season, players and coaches shared embraces with all six seniors: John Emendorfer, Henry Ford, Caleb Hampton, Will Murdock, Will Pettway and Mack Whitcomb. Their leadership played a pivotal role in a 20-6 season in which they dominated league play with a 10-1 record to earn the DII-East Region championship.
“We love them,” Baylor co-head coach Greg Elie said. “They continue to build upon what the other guys in this program have and made us all very proud. They are such good kids and were so much fun to be around. They are not defined by today. They worked their rear ends off and had a great season. To do what they did this year was awesome. This is just a wild game, and today it didn’t bounce our way.”
Baylor appeared to grab the early momentum when Ford went the opposite way to drive a two-run shot over the fence in right field for his state-leading 15th home run of the season. It was the Red Raiders’ 44th and final homer of the season.
Despite the Red Raiders hitting line drives all over the field, the visitors’ gloves were basically magnets for the hot shots from a lineup that entered the game batting .360 with 100 extra-base hits this spring.
The only other run of the day for the Red Raiders would come in the sixth inning of the second game, on a double by Mr. Baseball finalist Tomas Valincius that drove in Hampton, who slid head first at home to make it 1-all.
Baylor sophomore Matt Dill pitched exceptional in the final game as he battled past an early homer to throw six solid innings and allow just four hits and one walk while striking out seven batters.
Hampton was the only Red Raider to have a hit in both games.
“This senior class represented Baylor in every area of their being,” co-head coach Mike Kinney said. “Academically, athletically and socially. They pushed toward excellence in all of those spaces. The close bond they shared is what high school sports is all about. They showed up every day and did exactly what you asked them to do and loved each and every one of their teammates.
“It was a really good space. They brought the younger guys up with them and treated them as much a part of the team as anyone.”
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com.