Late Inning Rally Lifts Westminster To Second Straight State Title Game Appearance

Nerves were getting frayed, and the fans were getting worried, but the members of the baseball team weren't concerned at all.

Well, maybe they were a little.

But thanks to a huge seven-run sixth inning, the Wildcats rallied for an 8-2 win over upset-minded Marshall (MO) High, in the state semifinals at Meador Park on Friday, and now will get to play for the MSHSAA Class 3 state championship for the second straight year.

Westminster won its first ever state baseball title last year, and will be the first Missouri team to advance to the state championship game in back-to-back seasons since Sante Fe did it in '08 and '09.

The last back-to-back state champions in Missouri was Blair Oaks in Class 2 in '05 and '06.

For five and a half innings though, it seemed like Westminster might not get the chance to join that list, as Marshall starting pitcher Aaron Skinner was having a magnificent outing, baffling the Wildcat hitters with a steady stream of curveballs and changeups.

Westminster's only run through five innings came in the first, when leadoff man singled and stole second, then scored on an error by the Marshall shortstop.

Meanwhile, Marshall took the lead in the third inning, when it loaded the bases with one out against Westminster starter Davis Vanderslice, then pushed across two runs on a walk to No. 3 hitter Jordan Pannell and a sacrifice fly by cleanup man Henry Tietz.

In the sixth inning though, with their fans on pins and needles, worried that a potential second straight championship season might be ending in an upset to a team that hadn't ever won a playoff game before this season, Westminster finally found its range against Skinner.

Sophomore Connor Einertson led off with a walk, and advanced to second with one out, when teammate Connor Larson walk also.

Einertson then came around to score and tie the game on a basehit by fellow sophomore Jordan Smith.

Senior Jacob Buffa also singled to load the bases, which brought No. 9 hitter Bryce Bell to the plate.

The junior designated hitter then gave Westminster the lead for good, when he cleared the bases with a triple into the right-field gap.

Smith, Buffa, and senior Connor Larson all scored on the play, and the Westminster fans could finally breathe again, as the Wildcats led 5-2.

Westminster added a couple more runs on a pair of balks by Marshall reliever Collin Porter.

Brett Bond, another Wildcat sophomore, capped the huge rally with a basehit that score Luke Turner, and suddenly Westminster wasn't worried about Friday any longer -- they just needed three outs and they would be on to Saturday.

Vanderslice got those three outs in order, and now Westminster will play Lutheran South -- a club its beaten twice already in Metro League play this season -- for the Class 3 championship.

The Lancers advanced to the state championship earlier on Friday, by knocking off the team Westminster beat in the title game last year, Savannah (MO), 8-6.

First pitch for Saturday's championship game is set for 1 p.m., and will be broadcast live on the FoxSportsMidwest.com website.