JOHNSTOWN – The wild celebration for Northridge baseball was a release of nearly two hours of frustration May 7, but the elation has been two years in the making for Noah Mason.
The junior shortstop laid down the game-winning squeeze bunt in the bottom of the seventh inning, lifting Northridge to an 8-7 victory against visiting Johnstown in Licking County League-Cardinal Division play. The win moved the Vikings (12-6, 9-5) back into a first-place tie with Newark Catholic (13-6, 9-5) with two games to play, and third-place Heath (10-10, 8-6) sits one game back.
“Honestly, we have all been playing together since freshman and sophomore year and some of us even since T-ball. It means a lot,” Mason said. “The brotherhood this team has, the heart and all of the fight we have.”
Northridge won just one game during Mason’s freshman season two years ago. He now has a chance to help the Vikings climb from the bottom to the top.
Northridge plays Lakewood at Don Edwards Park on May 8 and hosts Licking Valley on May 11. NC hosts Johnstown on May 8 and Licking Heights on May 11.
“We are a very streaky team, and one bad thing, we can’t let it spiral,” Mason said. “One good thing, we have to keep it going. My job is to stay in that dugout, keep kids up and motivate them to do well.”
Northridge led Johnstown 4-2 in the top of the second inning when the game resumed after being suspended 48 hours earlier. The Johnnies (8-10, 5-8) eventually took a 7-5 lead with a three-run fourth inning, and the pressure mounted on the Vikings with each passing out.
“Coming into the game, I knew I was going to be second if needed, so I was ready to go,” said sophomore right-hander Will Higgins, who relieved classmate Parker Hill and held the Johnnies scoreless during the final three innings.
“With it being 7-5, we are a team that gets streaky, so I knew with just a couple hits in a row we were right in it,” Higgins added. “I just had to keep it there.”
Sophomore Titus Hardin singled with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, and two hit batters loaded the bases. Higgins then pulled a hard ground ball that bounced off third base and scored the tying runs.
After an error loaded the bases, Mason laid down a bunt to the left of the mound that easily scored Riley Reeves with the winning run.
“When you run the squeeze, you want someone dependable at the plate,” said Northridge coach Dustin Calhoun, whose team had no seniors in the batting order. “As soon as that situation appeared, I knew what was happening, and I knew he would get it down. I had absolute confidence in him.”
Senior Landon Myers led Johnstown with three hits, two runs and an RBI; and classmates Erik Marohl added a hit, a run and two RBIs; and Braeden Archibald a hit, a run and an RBI. Junior right-hander Conner Sullivan relieved to begin the second inning and allowed just two hits, holding the Vikings to one run until the seventh.
Sophomore Collin Matheson recorded two hits and three runs out of the leadoff spot for the Vikings. Classmate Sam Miller added a hit, a run and an RBI, and Hill added a hit and two RBIs.
“This means everything,” Higgins said. “I have seen barely any of the struggles some of the juniors and seniors have. That’s who I do it for.”
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Northridge baseball keeps control of championship destiny
Reporting by Kurt Snyder, Newark Advocate / Newark Advocate
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
