CENTERVILLE, Ind. – In front a large crowd that surrounded most of the field at Centerville High School on Monday night, Union County’s Joey Weller tossed a one-hitter as he helped the third-ranked Patriots to a 6-1 victory over Hagerstown in the Class 2A sectional title contest.
“They’re a great hitting team,” Weller said of the Tigers. “I had to keep them off balance with my off speed stuff, which is what I started doing when I was in trouble.”
Weller went the distance as he gave up a RBI double to Cameron Purtha in the bottom of the sixth. He had seven strikeouts, but did walk six.
“It’s baseball, it happens,” Weller said of giving up the run-scoring hit after an error with two outs. “We just kept going with the punches. We were up 6-1. I wasn’t going to let it get to me.”
Union County Head Coach Jeff Mathews echoed Weller’s sentiment after a controversial play that had to be ruled an error instead of an out followed by Purtha’s hit.
“It resulted in what they called a hit,” he said. “We didn’t come here for Joey to throw a no-hitter. That’s not our goal.”
Winning the eighth sectional title in school history was the prize the Patriots were seeking. Union County’s other sectional championships came in 1978, 1985, 1998, 2000, 2010, 2012 and last year.
“I just don’t want this to end,” Mathews said.
The Patriots (26-3) advance to play Indianapolis Scecina (12-15) in Saturday’s Park Tudor Regional in the second game scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Scecina defeated fourth-ranked Heritage Christian 4-2 on Monday to move on to the regional.
No. 7 South Vermillion (26-3) faces Covenant Christian (15-13) in the opener at 11 a.m. The championship contest is slated for 8 p.m.
“We’re good one through nine and that’s hard to beat,” Mathews said. “We’re deep in pitching, we hit the ball. We can win that regional.”
The Tigers finish the season at 22-4.
“Hagerstown-Union County, whether it be a (Tri-Eastern) conference game or sectional, it’s a battle,” Hagerstown Head Coach Brad Catey said. “Hat’s off to them. I’m pulling for them.”
Weller got the scoring started for the Patriots in the second inning with a RBI ground out off Hagerstown starter Cody Swimm.
Preston Scott followed with a two-run single before Justin Witter knocked in the final run of the frame with a single to put the Patriots on top 4-0. Both Scott and Witter would finish with two hits.
In the fifth, Zander Kottka’s two-run double made it 6-0.
One inning later, the Tigers scored the final run of the contest.
Park Tudor Regional Pairings
Saturday, June 2
Covenant Christian (15-13) vs. No. 7 South Vermillion (26-3), 11 a.m.
Indianapolis Scecina (12-15) vs. No. 3 Union County (26-3), 1:30 p.m.
Championship, 8 p.m.