Leading Helias by four runs with one of their ace pitchers on the mound heading into the top of the sixth inning yesterday at Hickman Field, the Kewpies appeared to have their third straight win over a district foe all sewn up.

"That’s what I thought, too," said Hickman senior Austin Coats, who watched from the bullpen as Greg Kanuckel walked the bases loaded in his first inning of relief to bring the tying run to the plate.

Soon, Coats wasn’t watching anymore.

Called from the bullpen to squash the two-out threat, Coats overcame an infield error and a four-pitch walk to eventually get out of the jam with a strikeout on a 3-2 pitch. Helias scored two unearned runs in the sixth to close to within two, but the Kewpies scored four insurance runs in the bottom half of the inning for an 11-5 victory.

"I just beared down, I guess," Coats said of his unexpected relief appearance. "I thought about throwing strikes and got it done, I guess. I don’t think much. I just throw."

That mind-set is just fine for Hickman Coach Dave Wilson.

"His demeanor kind of helped him," Wilson said. "Austin doesn’t show a lot of emotion, and I thought that kind of helped him in that situation. He just chucked it over the plate."

Coats said he wasn’t nervous when he entered the game, but an error by third baseman James Hudelson on a chopper by Helias’ Tyler Green allowed a run to score, extended the inning and quickly got the butterflies buzzing in the right-hander’s belly.

"The pressure wasn’t too bad when I came in, but after James had that error, I felt a little pressure," Coats said. "Then after that walk, I was pretty nervous."

Coats finally ended the threat when Derrick Brauner struck out looking on a 3-2 pitch. After the Kewpies scored four runs on five hits in the sixth, Coats finished with a perfect seventh for his first save of the season.

"He was our second guy," Wilson said. "What a great job."

Although he admitted the game was a struggle for his team at times on the mound and in the field, Wilson was pleased with the offensive performances of several players. Every starter collected at least one of Hickman’s 14 hits. Catcher Bart Steponovich was the only starter without an RBI, and nine players scored in the game.

"What I’m really proud of is we’re getting team victories," Wilson said. "We’ve got guys coming off the bench scoring runs, and a lot of people don’t realize there’s an art to scoring. You’ve got to be able to take that extra base and get good jumps and reads. We’ve got guys that are role players, and they’re doing their roles, and that’s what it’s going to take to win a championship."

Drew Mitrisin pitched the first five innings - scattering eight hits and three walks - to improve to 4-0. The junior left-hander allowed single runs in each of the first three innings to fall behind 3-1, but a four-run fourth by Hickman (9-3) put the Kewpies in front for good.

An infield error with the bases loaded and an RBI double by Tyler Verslues when Helias’ center fielder tripped and fell on the slight incline at the base of the left-center field fence extended the fourth inning and helped put the Kewpies in front 5-4.

The odd play brought back fond memories for Wilson.

"My high school field had a hill in left field like that," he said. "We used to love to watch guys hit that hill in full stride because it will bite you."

In the sixth, another quirk of Hickman Field - blinding sun on the right side of the field late in the evening - sparked another rally when Steponovich nubbed a looping leadoff single past a clearly blinded Trent Bax at first base. Hickman strung together four straight hits after that gift off two Helias relievers to provide plenty of insurance.

Although both plays were difficult, Helias Coach Chris Wyrick wasn’t accepting any excuses for the loss that dropped his team to 8-3.

"That hill’s been there for 50 years. The sun’s been there for a million years. We’re not into excuses," Wyrick said. "Both of those plays should have been made, and both those plays eventually gave them three runs. You can’t do that against good teams."

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