Glenn wins sectional
By Dee Grenert
JAMESTOWN � It�s a good thing John Glenn�s sectional champion baseball team has a week to prepare for regional battle.
It will take at least that long to come up with a way to top the drama the Falcons produced throughout their three sectional games.
Glenn wiggled out of numerous jams in a 1-0 first-round win over a strong Bremen squad Monday. Then, after building a 9-0 lead Thursday against Triton, last year�s Class A state champion, the Trojans sent the tying run to the plate in the seventh before Glenn finally polished off a 10-6 win.
For all the frayed nerves the Falcons caused in the first two games, they saved their biggest theatrics � and six errors � for the sectional final.
Right-handed ace Andy Groves threw a spectacular game, and senior Greg Engel delivered a walkoff RBI single in the bottom of the seventh to score Korey Pulluaim and lead Glenn to a gutwrenching 3-2 sectional final win over host Jimtown at Booster Field Saturday.
It�s the Falcons� first baseball sectional crown since 1975. Glenn plays ????? next Saturday at Jimtown.
�There�s about this much difference between a team that loses in the first round of the sectional and a state champion,� Glenn coach John Nadolny demonstrated leaving approximately an inch of space between his index finger and thumb. �The kids have done everything I�ve asked of them.. Our biggest asset is our chemistry and attitude. That goes a long, long way. I can�t say enough about these kids.�
Groves drew some of Nadolny�s greatest praise. The junior standout held the Jimmies to two unearned runs on four hits � including a pair of infield safeties � racked up 13 punchouts, one walk and one hit batsman. The flame-throwing Groves had his usual dominating fastball, but also broke off several knee-buckling curveballs.
�Andy threw his butt off,� Nadolny said. �I think he had great stuff with his fastball and curveball through four or five innings. He�s a quality, quality pitcher.�
Jimtown coach Mike Stout agreed.
�We knew it was going to be tough to score a lot of runs against Groves,� Stout said. �Our guys gave up some of their big swings to try to put the ball in play. (Groves) is overpowering. Any guy who throws in the mid-80s at this level is going to be tough to hit.�
Groves, who earned his 11th win of the season and gave the Falcons a 1-0 lead with a first-inning RBI single, was quick to deflect attention.
�Winning the sectional is huge,� Groves said. �We�ve worked since January 27, and the thought the whole time has been �sectional champs, sectional champs.� Coach deserves the credit. He gets the best out of every one of our players. He knows when to yell and when not to yell. He�s a great role model for us.�
Three of Glenn�s fielding miscues, while leading 2-0, produced Jimtown�s only two runs.
Groves committed back-to-back errors on bunts and Zach Johnson reached on a bunt single to load the bases with nobody gone in the sixth inning. Groves induced a foul pop out and strikeout before Brandon Squibb grounded a shot to the left side of the infield. Shortstop Eric Reese made an impressive play just to keep the ball in the infield, but then threw wide of second allowing pinchrunner Josh Magyar to cross for the tying run and runners to advance to second and third.
Pulluaim then made a running grab on Bryan Revella�s fly ball to end the frame in a 2-2 tie.
�We just couldn�t pick the ball up one time. Then it got to be mental,� Nadolny offered. �They load the bases with nobody out, then Andy got a pop up and a strikeout. I thought he was going to get out of it. Eric made a great play to stop that ball. If he eats it we�re still up 2-1, but I�m not going to fault him at all. We did some damage control. We kept our composure after that.�
Groves credited his older brother, senior catcher Will Groves, for helping him through gut-check time. Will Groves also singled home a run in the second and cut down a runner trying to steal in the first.
�He�s the one who came out and told me to suck it up and get out of the inning after they tied the game,� Andy Groves said of his older brother. �We�re best friends. He keeps me mentally in the game. Communication wise, we�re always on the same page. I wouldn�t trade him for any other catcher.�
The younger Groves also wouldn�t trade Engel who he called �a clutch player and senior leader.�
After Pulluaim grounded a single into right field with one out in the seventh, and Glenn Stull lined a hit up the middle, Engel worked a 2-1 count. The Glenn senior then deposited a looping line drive down the left-field line off Johnson to easily score the speedy Pulluaim with the winning run.
�(Senior third baseman) C.J. Scope told me now is the time to be a senior,� Engel recounted. �That�s what I was thinking about when I went to the plate.
�The first two pitches weren�t as appetizing as the last one,� Engel continued. �(Johnson) threw the last one right down the middle and I turned on it.�
The Falcons also worked out of rough spots in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings. Nate Johnson clubbed a one-out double in the top of the seventh and advanced 90 feet on Brad Clark�s sacrifice bunt. Andy Groves set down Jimtown slugger Kyle Kinder on strikes for the third out. Groves also got Kinder two previous times on breaking balls.
�I mixed up stuff to keep them off balance,� Andy Groves noted. �Jimtown hits the ball as well as any team we play. Kyle Kinder can absolutely slaughter the ball. Getting him out was the key in each inning he was up.�
Linescore
Jimtown: 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 � 2 4 0
Glenn: 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 � 3 8 6
J: Brock Bender, Zach Johnson (6, L) and Brandon Squibb. JG: Andy Groves (W, 11-2) and Will Groves.
2B: Nate Johnson (J).
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