League Champs

The Onaga High School baseball team went into last Friday night’s double-header against Troy with as the #8 ranked team in the state of Kansas and a team that controlled its own destiny in terms of league and post season accomplishments, as they sat atop the standings in both the Twin Valley League and in their regionals.  The team needed just one win against the Trojans to wrap up its third league title in as many varsity seasons, but needed a sweep to keep Valley Falls at bay in the regional standings.  While they would accomplish their goal of winning the league once again, a matchup against Troy’s ace in game one would lead to the Buffaloes’ second loss of the season.

The Buffaloes watched the first game of the night slip away early and couldn't recover in a 4-0 loss, as Troy took the lead on a home run in the first inning and never looked back.  With two outs, Trojan senior Reagan Hartman hit a solo home run to take an early 1-0 lead.  But Hartman’s fourth homer of the season wasn’t the story, as Troy’s Preston Christenson was lights out on the mound.

The junior earned the win in the game as he pitched a complete game shutout, allowing just four hits and striking out ten Buffaloes on the night.  The righty kept the highest scoring team in Kansas off balance all night with an above average fastball that was complemented perfectly by an off-speed curveball that the hurler threw with near perfect accuracy.

Onaga had an opportunity in the bottom of the third inning to turn the tide when they were down 1-0.  With one out, sophomore Jackson Kolterman singled on a grounder up the middle, then senior Zac Fisher was hit by a pitch to put two on.  After Colby Simkins flew out to second, sophomore L.J. Koelzer hit a line drive to left-center field that looked like it would score two.  But just as Kolterman crossed the plate and Fisher was rounding third, Troy’s leftfielder caught the ball to end the inning.  That was the last time the Buffaloes posed a threat in the game.

Simkins took the loss for Onaga, but it wasn’t due to his pitching. The righthander went five innings, allowing three runs on six hits and striking out nine.  But the lack of offense and the hits being strung together was just enough for Troy.  Kolterman pitched the final two innings of the game and allowed one run, although it was unearned, as the Buffaloes dropped game one 4-0.

Game two was a different story, as Onaga got the offense rolling.  An early lead helped propel the Buffaloes to a win, as they scored on a single by Colby Simkins in the first inning, and tacked on four more runs in the second on a double by Zac Fisher and Colby Fordham’s first career home run.  With a 5-0 lead heading into the third, Onaga never looked back.

Zac Fisher was clutch at the plate all night with ducks on the pond, driving in four runs on three hits.  He drove in runs on a double in the second inning, a double in the fourth, and a single in the fifth.

Fisher also toed the rubber for Onaga. The righthander lasted six innings, allowing four hits and two runs, neither of which were earned, while striking out 11 and walking none.  The senior is now 5-0 on the season with a 1.33 ERA, 48 strikeouts, and just 5 walks.

Reagan Hartman started the game for Troy. The senior lasted two innings, allowing four hits and five runs while striking out one.  Austin  Grable and Logan Blevins entered the game in relief, throwing three innings and one inning respectively.

Onaga followed up their five home run performance on Monday with two more Friday night. Fordham’s blast in the second inning was the first, then fellow senior Jeramia Dorsey put one out in the fifth inning, his second of the season.

The Buffaloes tallied ten hits in the second game.  Fisher, Simkins, and Fordham all managed multiple hits for Onaga, with Fisher’s 3-for-4 performance at the plate to leading the way.

The second win wrapped up a 5-1 league mark for the season and a third straight TVL championship in as many seasons as a varsity program.  With Troy now 2-2 in the league, even a sweep over Blue Valley next Thursday won’t be enough to catch the Buffaloes.  Onaga is now 10-2 on the season which puts them in a tie for the top spot in the regional standings with Valley Falls, who is ranked #4 in the state.  The Buffaloes are on the road Thursday night at Jackson Heights, then play at St. Marys Academy on Monday.  Then they will welcome the Dragons to town next Thursday for a double-header that will likely decide who gets the number one seed in the postseason tournament.

You can check out the baseball team's roster, look at stats, follow results, look at the program’s history, and much more by heading over to the team's page on the school website, www.usd322.org/page/baseball.