Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
(Photo credit: Stuart Johnson, Deseret News)OREM — Never say die.
That was the unofficial theme the Lone Peak Knights adopted during their run in the 5A state baseball tournament. Whether it was in an inning where they had two outs, or they trailed their opponents, the Knights never backed down from a challenge or conceded anything.
A three-run deficit against Cottonwood in the sixth inning of the state championship game was only a minor bump.
Lone Peak rallied for four runs in the bottom of the sixth to defeat the Colts 5-4 on Friday afternoon to claim its first 5A state baseball championship in school history. It's the Knights' first state baseball title since they won back-to-back 4A crowns in 2000 and 2001.
"They've been in a lot of pressure situations," Lone Peak coach Mike LaHargoue said of his players. "With two outs, a lot of teams kind of pitch their tent and wait until the next inning. These guys just kept rolling. I couldn't be more proud of them."
The Knights looked to be in danger of having to play Cottonwood in a second "if" game after falling behind 4-1 in the sixth. Lone Peak had managed just three hits in the first five innings against Colts ace Desmond Poulson, who was throwing well on just two days rest.
But Tournament MVP Dillon Robinson changed the game's momentum with a monstrous home run over the right-field wall to lead off the sixth. And then with two outs and nobody on base, the Knights started their game-deciding rally.
Kennedy Kinkade, the game's winning pitcher, singled and Ryan Savage walked. Jed Goeckeritz then blasted a two-run triple to straightaway center to score two runs and tie the game. Zach Story-Baker relieved Poulson after Goeckeritz's hit, and Michael Draper came up to bat, mired in a tremendous slump.
Draper, who didn't have a hit in the state tournament until his sixth inning at-bat, lined a single to left to score Goeckeritz and give the Knights their 5-4 winning margin.
"It's just unreal," Draper said. "It's always a dream (to have the game-winning hit in a state championship game), but you never think it's a reality."
Others may not have believed in Draper during his playoff struggles, but his teammates never lost confidence in him.
"Draper's a gamer and that's what counts," Goeckeritz said. "That was nice."
Goeckeritz's hit was as nice as Draper's. Both players were working with 1-2 counts against one of the state's top pitchers.
"I knew I had to be ready for everything," Goeckeritz said of hitting against Poulson in the sixth. "His curveball had been working great and his fastball is electric. But luckily he left a curveball a little up for me and I was able to connect with it."
And able to make a lot of dreams come true for him and his teammates.
"This is what you dream of, this is what you wait for all your life," Goeckeritz said. "I was just lucky enough to be that guy this time."
Robinson then relieved Kinkade, who threw six solid innings, in the seventh. He recorded a strikeout, and got two batters to ground out to Kinkade, who traded positions with him at shortstop, to end the game.
It was the third game Robinson saved in the state tournament.
"I was down in the (bullpen) as soon as we scored and I knew we were going to win the game," Robinson said.
The Knights, who were ranked No. 1 in 5A from start to finish in the 2010 season after taking second in 2009, had that type of confidence throughout the state tournament, regardless of the circumstances. Lone Peak won three of its five playoff games by one run, and it was the last team to score in each of those one-run victories.
The Knights trailed in four of their state tournament contests, including being down by eight runs to Fremont in the first round. But they overcame all the adversity, they say, because of how long they've played together and their belief in each other.
"We've been with each other for a really long time and we know what each other can do," Goeckeritz said. "We know each other's heart and that's about what it comes down to — knowing your teammates and good team chemistry."
E-mail: aaragon@desnews.com
