5A baseball: Carroll survives late-inning test for title
Carroll withstands final-inning drama to win Class 5A baseball
- 3A baseball: Unbeaten Humboldt eliminates Independent
- 4A baseball: Trinity shut out by St. James
- 5A baseball: Carroll, Goddard advance to semifinals
- 6A baseball: Wichita-area teams shut out of semis
- 2-1A baseball: Medicine Lodge beats Sedan for championship
- 4A baseball: St. James routs Concordia; Mulvane takes fourth
- Saturday’s state championship scoreboard
- Gallery: State Baseball Championships Day 2
- Gallery: State Baseball Championships Day 1
Brent Holman and Paul Sanagorski have seen a bit of everything during years around baseball, but nothing to prepare for what was happening Saturday evening.
Sanagorski’s son, Taylor, Bishop Carroll’s catcher, was calling the pitch that would determine the fate of the season. The person throwing the pitch was Seth Holman, Brent’s son.
The pressure of a situation familiar to anyone who has played backyard baseball was prevalent, but the Carroll players involved in that final pitch weren’t the most nervous members of their families.
When the Eagles finished off their 4-3 win over Blue Valley to win the Class 5A championship at Eck Stadium, Carroll fans and players celebrated. For the elder Holman and Sanagorski, there was plenty of satisfaction — but the overwhelming emotion was relief.
"You pray for a quick inning, but you take what you get and you hang on," Brent Holman said. "I know I didn’t have any spit left — I was out of spit. Dry mouth and everything, toes and fingers, crossed. Saying prayers."
Blue Valley scored two runs against Holman in the seventh, which Carroll entered with a 4-1 lead. Michael Hayworth’s RBI single cut Carroll’s lead to a run, and two batters later the Carroll senior could no longer afford a misstep.
The Vikings loaded the bases after a hit batter, bringing up Ryan Devuyst. The moment became less intense for Seth Holman as he recalled the childhood pickup games in which he faced the bases-loaded, two-out situation frequently in his mind.
That did nothing for the well-being of his dad, though.
"Honestly, he’s probably a bit more nervous than I am," Seth Holman said. "He’s taught me everything, I’ve got to give it all to him. He probably can’t teach me those pressure situations, but you’ve just got to throw strikes."
Holman retired Devuyst on a grounder to second base, indirectly arranging a touching moment in the midst of jubilant raw emotion that comes with state championship celebrations.
As Carroll players were receiving commendations from well wishers, Taylor Sanagorski, still wearing his chest protector and shin guards, approached his dad and offered a long hug.
Paul Sanagorski, the former longtime Newman coach and professional scout, stood away from the gathering and calmly wiped away tears.
"I even shed a couple when we got together," Taylor Sanagorski said. "... We knew what each other was thinking, but it was the ’I love you’s, the ’Great game’s and it was just an unbelievable season."
Seth Holman, who pitched the final two innings to earn the save, was also thankful to share a crowning achievement with his dad, finding perspective in a family event that many teenagers may not appreciate.
The Eagles got contributions from many players during its first championship season in 2005, and many played important roles in Saturday’s win. But for two families, the title was doubly special.
"We’ve got two very proud dads on this coaching staff," Carroll coach Charlie Ebright said. "I’m so happy for their families. They’re great coaches, great individuals, and their sons are really good ballplayers."
Topeka Seaman 3, Goddard 2 — Trailing by three runs entering the seventh inning, Goddard quickly found itself under the best conditions for a third-place rally. A leadoff walk and two singles loaded the bases, and a fielder’s choice grounder by Austin White turned into two runs when Seaman shortstop Ryan Colombo made a wild throw to first.
Goddard reloaded the bases after two walks, setting up a game-deciding matchup between tiring Seaman starter Chris McPherson and Lions cleanup hitter Collin Nevil.
After taking ball one, Nevil lined McPherson’s second offering to center. But it didn’t drift beyond Tyler Bushnell, who hauled it in to end the game and give the Vikings third place.
Goddard trailed after two batters, when Bushnell drove home Butch Rea after Rea’s leadoff triple. Seaman scored two more in the fifth on a single by Taylor Czjakowski.
The Lions nearly broke through in the sixth, but Warren David’s soft liner that appeared to hit the line was called foul. Davis went on to strike out, delaying Goddard’s rally that stalled a batter too soon.
Carroll 4, Blue Valley 3
Championship
| Blue Valley | 010 | 000 | 2 | — | 3 8 1 |
| Carroll | 300 | 001 | x | — | 4 6 1 |
W—Henning. L—Ferguson. S—Holman.
Seaman 3, Goddard 2
Third Place
| Goddard | 000 | 000 | 2 | — | 2 6 1 |
| T. Seaman | 100 | 020 | x | — | 3 5 3 |
W—McPherson. L—Turner.
Carroll 5, Seaman 1
Semifinal
| Carroll | 011 | 002 | 1 | — | 5 9 1 |
| T. Seaman | 100 | 000 | 0 | — | 1 5 1 |
W — Miller. L — Colombo.
Blue Valley 6, Goddard 3
Semifinal
| Goddard | 001 | 011 | 0 | — | 3 6 2 |
| Blue Valley | 120 | 300 | x | — | 6 7 1 |
W—Bell. L—Dougherty. HR—Blue Valley, Snow.
Class 6A
BV North 1, BV West 0
Championship
| BV North | 100 | 000 | 0 | — | 1 |
| BV West | 000 | 000 | 0 | — | 0 |
W -- Thompson. L -- Engelken.
O. South 10, Manhattan 3
Third Place
| Manhattan | 002 | 100 | 0 | — | 3 6 4 |
| O. South | 009 | 010 | x | — | 10 10 3 |
W — Miracle. L — Biller.
BV North 11, Manhattan 0
Semifinal
| BV North | 007 | 31 | — | 11 13 1 |
| Manhattan | 000 | 00 | — | 0 3 3 |
W — Joyce. L — Harvey.
BV West 2, Olathe South 1
Semifinal
| O. South | 000 | 000 | 1 | — | 1 4 0 |
| BV West | 001 | 000 | 1 | — | 2 7 1 |
W — Agnitsch. L — Campbell.
Class 3A
Frontenac 12, Wellsville 2
Championship
| Wellsville | 200 | 00 | — | 2 3 5 |
| Frontenac | 013 | 62 | — | 12 11 0 |
W -- Standlee. L -- Kearney.
Humboldt 13, Sacred Heart 3
Third Place
| Sacred Ht | 200 | 10 | — | 3 5 2 |
| Humboldt | 103 | 27 | — | 13 14 1 |
W — Murrow. L — Bassett.
Frontenac 5, Humboldt 1
Semifinal
| Frontenac | 302 | 000 0 | — | 5 8 2 |
| Humboldt | 000 | 010 0 | — | 1 2 3 |
W — Whitcomb. L — Macary.
Wellsville 8, Sacred Heart 2
Semifinal
| Wellsville | 130 | 030 | 1 | — | 8 9 1 |
| Sacred Ht. | 000 | 110 | 0 | — | 2 5 2 |
W — Hillman. L — Jones.