By KYLE MANTHE
TopSports.news
A dream first season for head coach Jason Brown and the Shawnee Heights Thunderbirds will conclude in Wichita at the Class 5A state baseball tournament after a 5-2 win over De Soto in the regional finals Tuesday night.
Shawnee Heights baseball celebrates its Class 5A regional championship Tuesday night at the Bettis Family Sports Complex. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Shawnee Heights baseball poses for a team picture after Tuesday night's 5-2 win over De Soto in a Class 5A regional championship game at the Bettis Family Sports Complex. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
“I couldn't ask for a better season ... I have no complaints. It’s been one of the best times of my life so far, so I can’t wait (for it to continue),” Brown said. “It’s just a great bunch of kids. They want to win, and they do everything they can to win.”
Shawnee Heights (21-7), the No. 3 seed in the 5A East regional, defeated No. 14 Highland Park 8-0 in the first round. No. 11 De Soto (13-15) knocked off No. 6 Spring Hill 7-4 in the first game of the day at Bettis Family Sports Complex to move into the regional final.
Along with five innings of one-run ball from Cambren Floberg on the mound in the regional final, it was a four-RBI day from senior Deacon Pomeroy that led the way for the Thunderbirds.
“He’s done it all year long,'' Brown said. "He deserves to be all-state, all-conference. He’s a great player and he’s consistent.
“He comes up in big situations and he just does what he does. There’s nothing you can say.”
A big day at the plate for Pomeroy, capped off by a three-RBI triple in the sixth to break a 2-2 tie, was special for the future Oklahoma State Cowboy playing at home for the last time.
“I’ve been around Shawnee Heights since my dad was a coach, and I've been around the team since I was five, so getting to see the older teams do it makes it more exciting for me,” Pomeroy said.
It was a pitcher's duel to begin the final, with no score in the first two innings. Floberg worked around trouble in the second. After surrendering two singles to begin the inning, he got a flyout and a ground ball 4-6-3 double play to end the threat.
Shawnee Heights broke the scoreless tie in the third inning, beginning with a one-out walk from Makade Orton. A single by Floberg and another walk loaded the bases, allowing Orton to score on a wild pitch.
The Wildcats were able to even the score at one with a leadoff double in the fifth along with an RBI single into right.
The T-Birds came right back, beginning with a leadoff single from Orton. A walk put two on with Camden Olson loading the bases on a bunt single past the pitcher.
Pomeroy battled through a long at-bat to work a walk, giving the home squad a 2-1 lead. That is all the T-Birds would be able to bring across as De Soto worked around the bases-loaded, no-out jam to finish the fifth.
Brody Cooper took over on the mound in the sixth and he allowed a pair of one-out walks, with one scoring on an RBI single with two outs. He stranded a pair of Wildcats to keep the score knotted.
In the bottom of the inning Shawnee Heights loaded the bases again with a single by Jackson Hayes along with a walk and hit batter to bring Pomeroy to the plate again. This time he brought in more than one run, clearing the bases with a triple off the right field wall to go in front, 5-2.
“I was walked the first three times that game ... I just got my pitch and handled business,” Pomeroy said.
Cooper finished the night off with three more outs to secure a trip to Wichita next week.
Pomeroy finished the day 1-1 at the plate with three walks, Makade Orton went 1-2 while working a pair of free passes. Floberg threw five innings, giving up one earned and Cooper earned the win throwing the final two frames.
“They’re having a great time, having fun and smiling. I mean there’s nothing I can say, I’m humbled, I stepped into a great situation and these guys are the ones who do it, I just put them on the field,” Brown said.
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 5, DE SOTO 2
De Soto (13-15) 000 011 0 — 2 8 1
Shawnee Heights (21-7) 001 013 X — 5 5 1
Floberg, Cooper (6). N. Thompson, P. Thompson (5) and Johnson (6). W -- Cooper. L – Johnson. 2B – De Soto: Parks. 3B – Shawnee Heights: Pomeroy.
