AKRON, Ohio- Canal Park in Akron was the scene for the Division II State baseball championship game between the West Branch Warriors and Badin Rams.
Jeff Luca continued to watch from above. Luca was an alumni of West Branch High School, and today, the Warriors won their first-ever baseball state championship in school history.
The freak car accident that tragically took the life of the former Twinsburg coach motivated everyone. It brought the two communities together, and everyone came out to support today.
West Branch had its motivation, too as they were looking to bring home the first state title in school history.
Early in the game, Badin continued their streak of holding everybody scoreless. In the bottom of the 4th they scored the games first run on a sacrifice fly from Xander Arnold to put them up 1-0. They would score another in the bottom of the 6th after an error allowed a run to score from third. They led 2-0 heading to the final inning. That's when things got a little crazy.
Coach Mulinix son Boston made up for his costly error with an RBI single to make it a 2-1 game. West Branch tied it up the following at bat on an RBI groundout by Aaron Tucker to tie it up at 2-2 with Boston Mulinix advanced to third. The next play was a wild pitch scoring Mulinix and giving West Branch a 3-2 lead in what would end up being the winning run.
Boston Mulinix scores the go ahead run for West Branch on a wild pitch in the 7th
Badin threatened after a two out double by Kade Bowling, but Warriors pitcher Anthony Perry was able to get the next batter on a pop fly in foul territory to seal the championship.
“I came in the dugout and said, listen, you’re gonna come out with two guys on base, and you’re gonna be given a chance to redeem yourself here,” Coach Mulinix said. “It’s a funny sport, and how the momentum changes; I thought the kid was rattled, and he got on third, and I said, I think there might be one going to the screen, and sure enough, it did, and he was able to score the game-winning run.”
Coach Mulinix believed in his team as much as the community did. He believed in his son when it mattered most and talked him up, and his son Boston picked his head up and came through.
It was a game where everyone contributed. Anthony Perry had a great game on the mound going the distance and allowing only 1 earned run, while the rest of the team played a great defensive game.
West branch works to continue to build off this year and be known as one of the best teams in all of Ohio next season.
Badin added another state final four appearance to the rich history of their school. The team looks to continue to be one of the best in Ohio.
Comments