Fike magic continues

Sam Morman took one look at Jim Moran before heading to the mound for the top of the ninth inning.

“I got this,” Morman told his manager.

Morman delivered on his promise, sealing a thrilling 12-8 team victory for Blue Springs Post 499/Fike that led second baseman Mike Spyers to declare, “This is the best game I’ve ever been in!”

Morman went 4-for-5 with three RBIs, including a two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning that put Fike ahead. He pitched Fike out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the eighth with a strikeout. And, after his own go-ahead hit, Morman pitched a scoreless ninth, striking out two more, including Mic Fox to end the game as Fike kept overcoming adversity to defeat Washington Post 218 in the opening game of the American Legion Missouri State Tournament.

“If there is a better word than great, then put that one down,” a smiling Morman said, describing his reaction to the win after he earned the victory on the mound. “When we felt like it wasn’t going to go our way, we knew we could come back and make it right.”

And Fike did just that despite the odds stacked against the team. Josh Hightower was scheduled to start the game because he was going to make his way to Sedalia from a family vacation. Instead, Moran said he had to have an emergency appendectomy in South Carolina, forcing Jordan Oddo to get the start.

Fike also had to use a pitcher (Justin Ginter) who hadn’t thrown a pitch all season. Fike had to overcome 11 walks  and two hit batters issued by the pitchers. Fike also overcame a controversial balk call in the eighth inning that erased a strikeout that would have beem the third out.

But Fike (50-6) found a way to overcome that and an 8-7 deficit in the bottom of the eighth to advance to the winners’ bracket final at 4 p.m. Friday.

“It says these kids care about each other,” Moran said. “When one of them struggling, another one picks them up.

“This is our 50th win and I couldn’t be more proud of these guys.”

Trailing 8-7 entering the bottom of the eighth inning, Luke Warner drew a leadoff walk, took second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Spyers.

Ginter tied it with an RBI single. Stephen Montisano followed with another single, and Ginter advanced to third on an error by the right fielder.

Morman then stroked a two-run double to right-center field to put Fike ahead 10-8.

“I was just trying to get the bat on the ball, and it went to the right place,” Morman said. “You work so hard all game and finally get a ball to go through, it just feels great. This feels like a dream season.”

Shay Parra and Josh Smetana followed with consecutive RBI doubles for the 12-8 lead.

Morman then shut down Washington 1-2-3 to preserve the win.

Washington threatened to add to its lead in the eighth. Ginter, making his first appearance of the season in relief of Oddo, struck out Phillip Landwehr with what appeared to be the final out of the inning. But the first-base umpire ruled Ginter balked on the pitch, sending Larry Schimsa to third base and keeping Landwehr at the plate.

Ginter walked Landwehr on the next pitch and then walked Brett Backhaus to load the bases. Moran summoned Morman to the mound, and he struck out Trent Leimkuhler to end the threat.

Defense helped Fike keep it close, with Spyers making several spectacular plays at second. He and shortstop Montisano turned three inning-ending double plays in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

Washington rallied for three runs in the seventh inning to erase Fike’s 7-5 lead. Landwehr’s RBI triple and Brandon Niederholtmeyer’s two-run double put Post 218 ahead.

Warner’s two-run single keyed a three-run second inning that put Fike ahead 3-1 in the roller-coaster game.

Washington capitalized on four walks and two hits in the third to score four runs for a 5-3 lead.

But Smetana’s two-run double in the bottom of the third tied it 5-5. Montisano’s RBI groundout and Morman’s RBI triple in the fourth inning put Fike back ahead 7-5.

Smetana finished with three hits, including two doubles, and three RBIs. Parra and Ginter each finished with two hits and an RBI.

Fike will play at 4 p.m. today against the winner of today’s 10 a.m. game between Festus Post 253 and the Carthage Merchants.