EVANSVILLE — The IHSAA Class 3A, Sectional 32 championship game did not start as Memorial baseball would have hoped for at Braun Stadium on Monday, June 1.
But in the end, a fifth sectional title in the last six seasons was achieved.
Heading into the bottom of the third inning, the Tigers were down 1-0 to Heritage Hills. The Patriots’ Peyton Gray brought home the game’s opening score.
While it was early, Memorial never flinched. Senior pitcher Ryan Obenchain kept the game within reach until the breakthrough came in the third inning, eventually leading to an 8-4 victory.
“It starts with Ryan Obenchain on the mound,” Memorial coach Rip Collins said. “He didn’t get fazed.”
The breakthrough
Luke Brown’s hit into center field brought Wes Kelley and Grayson Marx home to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead in the third. This was only the start of what they had in store.
Memorial’s offense started ticking as more hitters got on base. A Marx hit into left field brought in Mack Williams. Brown’s hit into right field brought in Marx.
Then, Evan Hurt’s slide into home plate gave the Tigers an extended lead. Compound that with steals, a balk and a wild pitch within all of that, and Memorial’s momentum would only grow.
A triple from Marx got the Memorial crowd on its feet in the fifth. A sectional title grew stronger among their senses.
Memorial put together eight unanswered runs to make it 8-1 after five innings.
Tigers handle adversity
After a Heritage Hill hit in the sixth, Obenchain was pulled. An admirable effort that brought out a round of applause as he walked off the field. Just two hits allowed after 65 pitches.
“I was mad I got pulled, but that lifted me up,” Obenchain said. “I was happy I could give this performance for my team.”
Brady Mason was brought in to replace Obenchain. It was certainly a tricky position for Mason to navigate with crowded bases and one out. Memorial coaches and players huddled around the mound following a run scored by Hills’ Gray.
What followed was the sign of a talented bullpen. A Mason strikeout brought the inning’s end that much closer and was a huge blow to Heritage Hills’ comeback efforts.
Colten Buntin then grounded out for the third out to end the sixth. A relief for the Tigers, surely.
“The bullpen steps up,” Obenchain said. “If you’re having a bad outing, they can come in and pick you up. It’s really helpful having them behind me.”
It was a scoreless sixth for Memorial after the inning ended with Andrew Broshears getting tagged at home plate. The score remained 8-2 heading into the top of the seventh, and junior pitcher Owen Elpers was brought in to close for Memorial.
The Patriots approached the inning with the necessary desperation but also decisiveness. Multiple runners were on base when Trey Tyree’s hit floated into right field to bring Micah Toler home, cutting the deficit to 8-3.
A fly ball into right field advanced a runner, but now all Memorial needed was one more out to win another sectional title.
The ending was certainly a chaotic one.
Fischer bounced one down the left field line and was safe at first. Simultaneously, Francisco Mendoza scored. Then, as he returned to first nonchalantly, Fischer made a run for it.
Only problem is Broshears sniffed it out quickly. Evan Heldt was alert too.
Broshears’ throw to Heldt led to Mendoza’s risk falling flat. He was out. Ball game over. From there, the Tigers tossed their gloves as they rushed the mound to form a dog pile.
What a way to end the sectional 32 championship.
“We had some timely hitting, and we were aggressive on the bases,” Collins said. “This team is resilient. They know they’re not going to win the game in the first couple innings, but they battle.”
Another sectional title for Memorial
Winning five sectional titles since the turn of the decade is no small feat. Collins said it comes down to the preparation and commitment of the players.
Talent helps too.
“When you have good players that play hard for one another, good things are going to come out of it,” Collins said.
The Tigers now turn their attention to Gibson Southern, their regionals opponent for Saturday, June 6, at a time and location yet to be announced by the IHSAA. The Titans won a close one, 3-2 against Southridge, on Monday for its first sectional title since 2014.
“Our pitching has been really good,” Obenchain said. “Just have to keep up our hitting and I think we can do great things.”
Taking down the Pocket Athletic Conference’s best will be far from straightforward. But within Memorial baseball, the belief is there to make this season even more memorable.
Markos Tsegaye is a sports reporter for the Courier & Press. He can be reached at mtsegaye@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X @10_Markos_
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Memorial baseball wins another IHSAA sectional championship
Reporting by Markos Tsegaye, Evansville Courier & Press / Evansville Courier & Press
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