‘DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES?’ The Eagles rallied from the jaws of defeat twice en route to their first Final Four appearance in ten years. They upset Lutheran South 3-2 in the sectional round, scoring all of their runs in the bottom of the seventh to win. Sullivan went on to trounce Perryville 11-5 in the quarterfinal, where they overcame a five-run deficit to punch their ticket to Ozark. Photo by Extra Innings Photography
JOSIAH TANNER tied the score 2-2 for Sullivan. Photo by Extra Innings Photography
COLD AS ICE. Seth Valley (5) is pictured alongside Isaiah Skaggs, dumping a water cooler on Head Coach Ian Whitson after Sullivan’s 3-2 win over the Lancers. Photo by Extra Innings Photography
DRAKE GAWER held Lutheran South to zero runs. Photo by Extra Innings Photography
LANDEN DOZA pictured in the outfield. Photo by Extra Innings Photography
Eagles Walk Off To Quarterfinals On A Miracle
Seth Valley was resting his bat and the weight of the world on his shoulders. He was staring down the barrel of his team’s shot at the Class 4 Quarterfinal.
The Eagles (17-9) entered the bottom of the seventh with their season hanging in the balance. They could only string together a hit in their first six innings.
Sullivan managed to hold Lutheran South (14-14-3) back from home plate until the top of the seventh. Kannon French lit the fuse for the Lancers on a pop fly, allowing Cruz Schmitz to break the drought. Grant Blair then sacrificed out, and Michael Lind scored, pushing Lutheran South ahead 2-0.
Even though the Eagles were on the ropes, they refused to throw in the towel. Chase Blue and Lucas Parsons kicked off the bottom of the seventh with walks. Nate McReynolds then smoked a ground ball single, and Redd walked with bases loaded, allowing Blue to seize Sullivan’s first score. Brody Gawer was hit by a pitch afterward, and Tanner tied it at the dish while McReynolds followed at third.
Valley then stepped up to the plate, facing a similar situation he had been in before. Like in Sullivan’s 2024 district championship win and other nail-biters, Valley was tasked with walking his team off on an RBI.
“There was a lot that was going on through my mind during that at-bat,” the senior shared. “[My nerves] were high once I walked up to the box, but then they chilled out after the first pitch. I calmed down [because] I was used to bunting with two strikes.”
On a 2-2 count, Valley laid down the bunt single to send McReynolds home, as well as the Lancers. The Eagles then rushed from the dugout and surrounded Valley on the field, hugging and cheering him on for saving their season.
Sullivan had lost their past two sectional rounds but looked to change the trajectory against Lutheran South. Valley explained, “I think we have been clutch these games because we got tired of just making it to sectionals, and we have been playing with the ‘earn another day’ mentality.”
Pitcher Drake Gawer threw a heater over the Lancers, firing ten strikeouts while only allowing three walks and a hit.
Mahlon Foster came out of the bullpen during the sixth inning and gave up two hits.
After bouncing Lutheran South, the Eagles went on to trounce Perryville 11-5 in the quarterfinals and punched their ticket to the Class 4 Final Four.