Francis Howell completes spectacular season with Class 4A title

June 6, 2011

By Mike Rosenbaum

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. ? After defeating Vianney 14-13 in a three-hour thriller on Friday, the Francis Howell Vikings (32-3) found themselves in much different situation on Saturday as they faced an unfamiliar opponent in the Liberty Blue Jays (28-6).

While the Vikings win on Friday was both emotionally and physically taxing, Liberty?s contest against Ozark was the exact opposite. The Blue Jays? offense fired from top to bottom, scoring five runs in the first inning in what was ultimately a 13-3, run-rule victory. And while Howell was forced to use five pitchers to best Vianney, Liberty was able to breeze by using only left-hander Michael Hinkley.

Even with the Vikings? competitive schedule and the fact that they had to face the ace of almost every team, Saturday?s Class 4A title game was the ultimate test. Could they come out with the same vigor and intensity that propelled them past Vianney?

Absolutely.

Thanks to two four-run innings and with the help of eight (yes, eight) Liberty errors, the talent-rich Vikings defeated the Blue Jays, 10-5, to win their first Class 4A title since 2003 and cap a remarkable and memorable season.

Howell squashed any notion that they may come out flat by putting up a four-spot on Liberty in the bottom of the first. After Brett Peel singled and Jake Ivory reached on an infield error, Case Munson drew a walk to load the bases. The Vikings? No. 5 hitter, Kyle Nuetzel, followed by grounding into a fielder?s choice that allowed their first run to score. Gordie Gundaker then drew a walk ahead of Jared Hagley, who ripped a single that was misplayed by Liberty?s right fielder and rolled all the way to the wall. The error allowed Ivory, Nuetzel and Gundaker to score and gave the Vikings an early 4-0 lead.

Having already dug themselves a hole, the Blue Jays? offense responded with two runs in the top of the second to cut Howell?s lead in half. After starter Brannon Callaway issued a leadoff walk, Dylan Stevens drove in the team?s first run with a double. And later, with two outs, Wesley Jones plated his catcher with an RBI double.

The Blue Jays? made it a one-run game in the top of the third as starting pitcher Dylan Winfrey drove in Zachary Pirrello, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.

But in the bottom of the inning, Howell?s offense exploded for four more runs courtesy of three hits and three more Liberty errors. Munson got things started when he doubled down the left field line, advanced to third on an error by the left fielder and scored on a single by Nuetzel. After Gundaker reached on an error, Hagley laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners up to second and third.

Another infield error on a groundball off the bat of Zac Perkins led to the Vikings? second run of the inning, and Jacob Rhodes gave Howell a 7-3 lead with an RBI single. After a walk to Brett Graves, Peel was hit by a pitch to push across another run and load the bases. Liberty would halt Howell?s offense attack right there, however, as the ninth batter of the inning, Ivory, grounded out into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.

Forced to compensate for their struggling defense, the Blue Jays? offense continued to chip away at Howell?s lead in the top of the fourth. Stevens led off the inning with a home run, his second in as many days, and Lucas Norton and Taylor Uhlmann followed with singles. Jones then chased Callaway from the game with his second run-scoring single of the contest, as Howell?s lead was once again cut in half, 8-4.

Left-hander Steven Diel replaced Callaway on the hill and immediately halted the Blue Jays? comeback with back-to-back strikeouts. After issuing a two-out walk to Todd Hinckley to load the bases, the senior got the potential tying run to groundout to second to end the inning.

He continued to deal in the top of the fifth, retiring the side in order to move the Vikings within six outs of their first state title since 2003.

Rhodes collected his third hit of the game to lead off the bottom of the fifth, stole second base and then scored on Liberty?s eighth error of the contest, a botched pickoff attempt at second base.

Diel ran into a bit of trouble in the sixth when Uhlmann and Jones hit consecutive singles to start the inning. But the southpaw, who pounded the strike zone with his 82-84 mph fastball, induced a clutch 6-4-3 double play to thwart the Blue Jays? hopes of a comeback.

In home half of the inning, Howell added an insurance run on a sacrifice fly by Hagley that extended their lead to 10-5.

Now only three outs away from winning it all, Diel struck out the first hitter in the seventh before surrendering a single to Matthew Dye. The next hitter, Winfrey, rapped a groundball to Graves at shortstop, who stepped on the bag and fired to first to complete the game-ending double play and secure the Class 4A title.

?Every year is a jigsaw puzzle when you have to try to figure out who are your guys, but going into this season when you have that many seniors who play the game as well as they do, you know you?ve got a shot at winning it,? said Francis Howell head coach Tony Perkins of his immensely talented squad.

?It?s just such a blessing to come out and do this with such a great group of guys,? said Jefferson College recruit Case Munson. ?Our main goal?s been one piece at a time: win the Troy Tournament; win the Midwest Classic; win conference; win districts; and now we?ve won state. We?ve gotten everything accomplished and it?s incredible.?

?Our stretch all the way through has been so hard,? noted Perkins. ?All the teams we?ve been playing are just great teams, Liberty included. Nobody was going to roll over and die.?

Callaway recorded the win for Howell after holding a talented Liberty offense in check for the first three innings.

Diel picked up the save and was stellar in his four innings of relief, scattering three hits over four innings while fanning four and walking one.

?I?m so happy for him,? said Perkins of Diel. ?He stubbed his toe a couple times but he went out there today and was phenomenal. He was nasty and just shut them down.?

?All year we?ve had guys that have stepped up huge for us,? said the University of Missouri-bound Brett Graves after the game. ?Brennan Callaway stepped up for us and is probably one of the main reasons why we?re here; Steven Diel hopped in and threw the best game he?s thrown all year; and then one through nine?everybody contributed.?

Rhodes paced the Vikings? offense with a 3-for-4 performance that included a run scored, RBI and stolen base. Nuetzel finished the game 2-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI, and Hagley had a hit a pair of RBI. Gundaker, Peel and Munson also collected a hit.

?Jacob Rhodes was probably our MVP of the tournament, not only offensively but defensively,? said Perkins of his right fielder, who was 6-for-8 with four runs scored, two doubles and an RBI in Howell?s two games. The senior reached base safely in eight f his nine at-bats.

?The kid was just nails,? Perkins continued. ?He works his tail off and I?m sure glad he?s rewarded for what happened here today.?

Dylan Stevens had a big day at the plate for Liberty, going 2-for-3 with a double, home run and two RBI, while Wesley Jones was 3-for-3 with two RBI.

The Class 4A title capped a remarkable season for Howell?s seniors, many of whom seem poised for success at the next level.

Right-hander Aaron Dunkley, a Meramec recruit, finished the season 6-1 with a 3.56 ERA in 41 1/3 innings.

Diel, who is headed to Jefferson College, was 4-0 with a save and 2.48 ERA, and had 43 strikeouts in 31 innings.

Graves, who is committed to Mizzou and is likely to be selected in this week?s MLB Amateur Draft, concluded a brilliant prep career by going 9-1 with 1.95 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 61 innings on the mound. At the plate, Graves hit .441 with a .537 OBP, 49 runs scored, team-high 49 hits, 12 doubles, six home runs, 35 RBI and 12 stolen bases. Last week, he was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Missouri.

Center fielder Jake Ivory, who will be joining Graves at Missouri next season, was 3-0 with a two saves, a 3.50 ERA and eight strikeouts over six innings on the hill. He hit .404 with 46 runs, 42 hits, eight doubles, seven home runs, 48 RBI and 12 stolen bases.

Left-handed submariner Matt Norton will take his talent to Qunicy University after appearing in 17 games for the Vikings. He finished with a 3.71 ERA and fanned 10 in 17 innings of work.

Second baseman Brett Peel, a William Woods University recruit, hit .409 with a .522 OBP, team-high 53 runs scored, 45 hits, four doubles, five triples, 24 RBI and led the team with 19 stolen bases.

Munson, who will once again be teammates with Norton at Jefferson College, had a spectacular season at the plate, hitting .447 with 46 hits, 10 doubles, five triples and 11 stolen bases. The third baseman led the state with 12 home runs and 59 RBI.

?I can?t even tell you how hard we worked for this and how much we?ve talked about it since we were freshmen,? said an overjoyed Graves after the game.

Munson echoed a similar sentiment, ?I grew up playing with all these guys and it?s a great way to end it.?