Junior Wyatt Haupt was a standout for the Eastern Brown High School baseball team this season, but he got plenty of help from a variety of teammates during the Warriors’ playoff push.
Successful year ends just two wins short of state for Warriors
That the Eastern Brown High School baseball team was still playing on June 1 was a victory for the Warriors.
Defeat came that day, too, though – and the end of the season. But so many successes leading up to that June 1 game likely went a long way toward softening the blow from a game that got away.
Eastern had a seemingly comfortable 5-1 lead over Cadiz Harrison Central through five innings of a Division III regional semifinal June 1 at Beavers Field in Lancaster before allowing seven runs over the final two innings in the 8-5 loss. Harrison Central won again the next day to advance to the Division III state tournament.
“Regardless of the loss in the regional semifinal game, we were one of 16 teams – out of about 190 teams – in Division 3 that was still playing on June 1st and that is something to be proud of,” Eastern coach Steve Goetz said. “Although the loss to Harrison Central was disappointing, it does not take away from what this team accomplished this season. “
Among those accomplishments was a district title – only the school’s second ever, with the first 15 years ago. The Warriors also peaked at the right time, reeling off three consecutive victories in the sectional/district tournament after a first-round bye.
“As I told the team after the game, the loss to Harrison Central hurts right now but the sting will go away and we’ll have incredible memories of a great season,” Goetz said.
Eastern blanked Harrison Central for four innings, leading 2-0 through four. The Huskies got on the board with a run in the fifth, but the Warriors added to their lead, countering with three runs in the bottom of the fifth before the Huskies’ comeback.
Eastern outhit Harrison Central 6-5, but the Warriors had six errors to the Huskies’ two, and Eastern pitchers walked five and hit five Harrison Central batters; the Huskies issued just one walk and hit no Warrior batters.
“We put too many guys on base via walks and hit-by-pitches but were still in control of the game after five innings,” Goetz said. “In the sixth, we just didn’t make a couple of plays that could have gotten us out of the inning, still having the lead, but that happens sometimes.”
Junior pitcher/infielder Carter Vaughn led the Warriors, going 3-for-4 with a double, two runs batted in, and two runs scored. He also pitched an inning of no-hit relief. Sophomore shortstop Pryce Murphy was 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Senior rightfielder Garett Moran had the other Warriors’ hit.
“I think the great part of the tournament run is that so many players contributed to the victories – it was not just one or two guys. We had different guys in each game that got big hits or made big defensive plays. It really was a team effort and that’s very special,” Goetz said of the Warriors, who were second in Southern Hills Athletic Conference Division II at 10-3 and finished 15-10 overall.
“This season raised the bar for Eastern baseball.”