By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
Any doubt the Hayden baseball team would finish the regular season undefeated was removed in decisive fashion Thursday. The reigning Class 3A state champions cruised to a sweep of the Junior Blues at Washburn Rural, winning 5-1 and 14-1.
Hayden senior Cooper Grace twirled a complete-game one-hitter in Thursday's 5-1 Game 1 win over Washburn Rural. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
While running the table on the regular season and collecting a Centennial League title are not insignificant, Hayden coach Bill Arnold made sure the focus was on the future.
“We haven’t even talked about being undefeated, and all of us could care less,” Arnold said. “The undefeated part comes from going 1-0. We’ve got a very mature group in the dugout here and they buy into it. They understand there’s bigger things on the mountain we’re trying to get to.”
The headliner of the matchup was Hayden pitcher Cooper Grace, a University of Nebraska commit. Grace dominated in the first game of the doubleheader, taking a perfect game into the fifth inning. He surrendered a walk in the fifth, but – with a 3-0 lead – still had the no-hitter intact.
Grace wavered a bit in the bottom of the sixth. After striking out the first two batters, he surrendered back-to-back walks and a couple of wild pitches that allowed the runners to advance. Grace then lost the no-hit bid on a slow dribbler the Wildcats’ shortstop was unable to field in time for a play on the batter.
Grace regained his stride in the bottom of the seventh, ringing up all three Junior Blues batters.
“I was just focused on getting one out after another. I wasn’t even thinking about the no-hitter,” said Grace, who said he has thrown no-hitters in the past, but prefers to keep track of wins rather than personal achievements. “It was a complete team effort. (The Junior Blues) are a good team, so we’re happy to get the win.”
Hayden junior Connor Hanika gave up just two hits and an unearned run in four innings in the Wildcats' 15-1 Game 2 win over Washburn Rural. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
As dominant as Grace was in the first game, fellow Hayden pitcher Connor Hanika was equally effective in the second game. The junior gave up just two hits and permitted just one unearned run over four innings. With the offense racking up 14 runs in the nightcap, Arnold lifted Hanika for senior Jett Wahlmeier to finish off the final inning.
“I’m really pleased,” Arnold said of the pitchers. “We didn’t even get to (Liam) Annand tonight. We’ve got four quality starters. I like what each one of them can bring to the plate.”
With that kind of pitching, the Wildcats have the foundation for another title run. The Wildcats will bump up to the 4A class for this year’s postseason.
Arnold said, at Hayden, the opponents and venues may change, but the objective remains the same -- state championships.
“That’s our goal, year in and year out,” Arnold said. “We’ve got a good group of guys that expect to win.”
Game 1
HAYDEN 5, WASHBURN RURAL 1
Hayden 012 000 2— 5 11 0
Washburn Rural 000 001 0 — 1 1 2
Grace and Deutsch. Ansley, Payne (6) and Rabb. W — Grace. L — Ansley. 2B — Hayden: Annand.
Game 2
HAYDEN 14, WASHBURN RURAL 1
Hayden (22-0) 302 72— 14 10 1
Washburn Rural (13-11) 001 00 — 1 2 3
Hanika, Wahlmeier (5) and Deutsch. Edmiston, Stafford (4), Payne (5) and Rabb. W — Hanika. L — Edmiston. 2B — Hayden: Annand, Roberts, Grace. Washburn Rural: Moore. 3B — Hayden: Mitchell.
