Oh mercy! Tigers thrash Knights

CARROLL — The Newman Catholic Knights were one of the most feared teams in Class 1A baseball. The second-ranked team in the class had won 21 games in a row and hadn’t lost to a 1A foe all season. On Wednesday night, however, they were just another object on the train tracks for a New London squad that showed no signs of slowing down.

No. 3 seed New London not only defeated Newman Catholic in the Class 1A semifinals, but they did it in a fashion not normally seen on the big stage. The Tigers trounced the Knights 16-1, enacting the 15-run mercy rule.

“It kind of all started before the game,” said New London head coach Brad Helmerson. “They were talking about Friday's game already, Newman was. I think it lit a fire in under the boys even more than the one that was already there.”

By the second inning, any hope the favored Knights had of appearing in Friday’s Class 1A championship were all but one. New London’s offense poured it on early and often, building a double-digit advantage before the second frame was over.

The Tiger bats started at the word ‘go.’ Joshua Catala led the game off with a single, and eventually came around to score when Tucker Gibbar’s one-out chopper was bobbled by the Knights’ second-basemen. Then, Carter Allen knocked in Dereck Santiago with an RBI single, and it was 2-0 early.

Following a quick Newman Catholic first, the Tigers were right back at it and then some in the second inning. New London loaded the bases with nobody out, and then went on to score nine runs, batting around the order and knocking out Newman Catholic starter Elijah Brinkley after just four total outs.

Kooper Schulte’s sacrifice fly brought New London to a 3-0 advantage. Gibbar collected a pair of RBIs on a single, and Allen finished Brinkley’s day off after smashing a ball to deep center field, which would bring two home on a fielding error.

“They were definitely waiting for a pitch in a spot where they can hit it and hit it hard,” Helmerson said. “I thought they did a really great job of that.”

The Tigers led 7-0 when Brinkley was lifted for reliever Max Burt. Burt had just as much luck as Brinkley, allowing four more runs to cross before the inning was over, thanks to RBI singles by Ryan Richey and Brenden Richey, a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch from Catala and a fielder’s choice from Schulte.

“Against a team like that, you better keep pouring it on,” said Helmerson. “They could explode. There are some really good at-bats on their side.”

And as if the 11-run offensive spurt wasn’t enough, New London starter Seth Bailey was feeling it on the mound. Bailey recorded six-straight outs to start the game, including three strikeouts, and it was 11-0 after two frames.

Bailey helped himself out in the top of the third. After Allen delivered yet another big hit, scoring one run on an RBI double down the left field line, Bailey knocked him in with a single up the middle, and the Tiger lefty had a 13-run cushion into the bottom of the third.

In the bottom half, Newman Catholic finally grasped a tiny bit of momentum. The Knights had two on with nobody out to start the inning, but Bailey spun around to pick off Brinkley at second base, another dagger into the hearts of an increasingly frustrated Newman Catholic squad.

“He gave up a couple of hits in that one inning and then he turns around and guy out at second base,” Helmerson said. “That really helps shorting the game and save your pitching.”

Newman Catholic would eventually load the bases with one out, but Bailey stayed cool on the hill, giving up just one run on a fielder’s choice, and striking out Knights standout Doug Taylor to end the inning with New London’s lead standing at 13-1.

The Tigers got that run right back and then added to it in the fourth. Ryan Richey singled in Santiago with two outs. Gibbar followed that by scampering home on a wild pitch, and pinch-runner Memphis Watson scored run number 16 on a balk.

After allowing a leadoff single in the bottom of the fourth, Bailey recorded the next three outs, and the New London baseball team was on its way to the first state title game in school history.

Allen finished the game 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Gibbar was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Ryan Richey went 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Schulte was the only Tiger without a hit, but he did finish with a pair of RBIs.

Bailey allowed one earned run on four hits and one hit batter over four innings. He struck out four Newman Catholic batters to earn the win.

New London (30-1) will next face off with No. 1 Remsen St. Mary’s (35-0) with the state baseball title on the line. That game is set for 7 p.m. on Saturday.

“The Newman coach shook my hand after the game and said, 'you guys are for real,’” Helmerson said. “I think we’re finally getting a few people’s attention.”