Putting the guy who is up before you on base intentionally is a challenge. Your opponents believe they have a better chance of getting you out, and they are willing to walk your teammate to get to you.
When Coastal Athletics’ Mike Wells was walked by Gardiner to load the bases in the ninth inning Monday in a Legion Ball state tournament game at Hadlock Field, Paul Kierstead stepped into the batter’s box to face the challenge.
The game was tied, 3-3, and there were no outs. The temptation must have been for Kierstead to swing away to show Gardiner, and the crowd, that he could hit.
But instead, Kierstead demonstrated patience and turned the challenge around, demanding that a tired Kyle Stilphen throw strikes. The pitcher couldn’t and Kierstead walked, forcing home Pat Murphy with the winning run.
“Paul was scuffling at the plate early,” said Coastal coach Todd Day. “But he’s a leader. He was very patient, and he got the job done.”
The win advanced Coastal to a tough Tuesday match-up with unbeaten Andrews Post.
After spotting Gardiner a run in the top of the first, Coastal hit back with two in the bottom of the inning. Mike Wells singled to left to knock in John Carey, who had walked to lead off for the Zone 4 runners-up. With two outs and the bases loaded, Josh Garneau was hit by a pitch to send home Drake Livada.
Gardiner added a run in the fourth and another in the seventh. Coastal starter Coleman Findlay did a nice job for five and a third innings, and when he gave up a single and a walk in the sixth, Day brought in Wells.
“Coleman did exactly what we asked him. He got stronger in the middle innings,” the coach said, “but we’ve got Mike Wells, and any time there’s some trouble and you want to put out a fire you got to bring in your best pitcher, your veteran.”
Coastal tied the game in the seventh when Kyle Dancuase stroked a single to right to score Livada, who reached via a walk.
Murphy led off the ninth with a solid single to right and Livada immediately followed with another hard-hit ball, this one to right-center.
Stilphen was around 140 pitches at that point, but was kept in to finish the game, intentionally walking Wells and unintentionally allowing Kierstead to patiently force home the game winner.
“We had 2-3-4 hitters coming up in the ninth,” said CA’s Will Furbush, “and they’ve been hitting the whole tournament. We’re confident in these guys.”
Day was happy that his team would play at least one more game.
“This is such a tight-knit group,” he said, “and we didn’t want to end it today.”
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