MANHATTAN — Standing between Humboldt High’s Cubs and a state tournament trophy were the Salina Sacred Heart High Knights. Deja vu for Humboldt High baseball history fans.
Two years ago the Cubs and Knights squared off in the Kansas Class 2A third-place contest. Humboldt won 6-2.
So on Saturday, the Cubs bounced back from their only defeat of the entire 2012 season. They put the 5-1 semifinal loss to Frontenac High Raiders behind them and set their sights on the Kansas Class 3A State Baseball Tournament’s third-place trophy.
“We knew if we played well we could win,” said sophomore center fielder Caleb Vanatta. “We were more focused and we started hitting the ball like we had all year.”
The Cubs pounded out 13 hits and run-ruled the Knights in five innings. Humboldt claimed a 13-3 victory, which included a seven-run fifth inning to close it out.
“We knew in our minds we were not going to lose this game. I’m proud that as a team we came back from the loss and competed,” said Kason Siemens, Cubs’ freshman second baseman.
Siemens proved to be a leadoff spark for the Cubs in the third-place game. He singled to left to open the third inning as the Cubs scored three runs to take the lead, 4-2.
Siemens spanked a base hit to left center to begin the fourth inning. Hunter Murrow, sophomore shortstop, doubled over the left fielder’s head to drive in a run. Humboldt plated one more run in that inning to gain a 6-3 lead.
Then came the fifth inning and every Cub got into the act. Junior Grayson Pearish drew a walk and junior Noah Thornbrugh went in to run. Thornbrugh scampered to second on a wild pick-off throw got past the Knights’ first baseman.
Freshman first baseman Jacob Carpenter had a long battle with the Knights’ pitcher and delivered an RBI double to the left field corner.
Austin Beeman, sophomore designated hitter, singled to right. On a throw to third the baseball got away and Carpenter bolted to the plate. Sacred Heart’s catcher could not hang onto the baseball as Carpenter slid in hard and was safe.
Alex Murrow, sophomore who got the pitching victory in the third-place game, singled and Siemens singled. Hunter Murrow and Caleb D’Armond each had fielder’s choices.
And the beat went on until Carpenter singled to drive in the seventh run of the inning. That triggered the 10-run rule and handed the Cubs the third-place trophy.
“We accomplished what we wanted to this year. Yes, we wanted the state championship but this is a great first step,” Carpenter said. “We believe we earned people’s respect with the close win to open the tournament and being able to come back from the semifinal loss to run-rule Sacred Heart.”
The Cubs finished the 2012 season at 25-1.
