By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
EMPORIA -- A brilliant pitching performance, flawless defense and timely hitting propelled Shawnee Heights to the Class 5A state semifinals.
Shawnee Heights senior Brody Cooper hurled a complete-game two-hitter in Tuesday's 5-1 Class 5A state quarterfinal win over Kapaun Mt. Carmel. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The T-Birds blasted Kapaun Mt. Carmel 5-1 Tuesday at Emporia to get over the first-round hump for the first time in three tries.
Shawnee Heights pitcher Brody Cooper could not have been much more dominant in his final appearance as a T-Bird. The senior fired a two-hitter and struck out 10. Due to pitch count restrictions, he will not be available to pitch on Thursday or Friday, the semifinal and final rounds.
“My two-seam was moving a lot today, so it really made it hard for their righties,” Cooper said. “It being hot helped loosen me up a little bit. But I just couldn’t miss today. I felt great. I know the first run that they scored was not really earned, so I didn’t worry about that one.”
Shawnee Heights coach Jason Brown fought to control his emotions when describing the T-Birds’ quarterfinal performance.
“It’s mainly this class of seniors,” Brown said. “I’ve been around forever. So, watching them through the process, seeing some of them struggle a little bit when they’re freshmen – which all freshmen do at this level – and then seeing them come out here and just play free.
“We’ve got three or four guys that are seniors who have been playing varsity since their freshman year and haven’t (won a state tournament game). So, this makes me so proud.”
This group of T-Birds will play in the second round of the state tournament for the first time in their careers. They were bounced from the first round the past two years.
“In the last two years, we were in that same position,” Cooper said. “Got embarrassed (by Spring Hill) two years ago. And last year we lost it ourselves (against Hays). We just couldn’t let that happen again.”
Brown was as relieved as the players to be through the elimination game.
“First thing I told them, I said, ‘Hey boys, monkey’s off our back. Now we can just roll,’ ” Brown said. “Game 1 is always hard. We’ve been preaching it all year: ‘One at a time. One at a time. Go to regionals, it’s one game. Everybody’s 0-0. Records don’t matter. Who they play doesn’t matter. You just show up and do you.’ ”
The T-Birds will face St. James Academy Thursday at Wichita State University's Eck Stadium Happy as the T-Birds are to move on to Wichita, Brown believes there is more in store.
“I said, ‘It’s not over. This isn’t it. Your goal is Friday. We set these goals at the beginning of the season to get to Friday at Wichita. Let’s go get it.’ And I think they’re ready,” the coach said. “If we hit the ball like that, we take care of it and play defense, we could get a state title this year. I truly believe that.”
The T-Birds will have to do it without Cooper, who will likely be relegated to the role of cheerleader on Thursday and Friday after throwing more than 100 pitches on Tuesday.
“He’s been good all year, but that right there, outstanding. Pounding the zone. Off-speed was good. Mixing it up. He was just unbelievable,” Brown said of Cooper. “As a coach, you always preach to have that mindset that you’re the best when you step on the field. But you can’t teach it. You can’t coach it. You just have kids that have it, and he’s one of them that has it. He believes that when we put the ball in his hand, it’s a win regardless and that he’s the guy out there and nobody can beat him.”
The effect of Cooper’s outing will be felt the rest of the tournament, Brown said.
“It was huge getting a complete game out of one. We’ve got a bunch of guys left. So not getting into our bullpen is big,” Brown said. “We have Cam Floberg that can throw. We have Gabe Escobar that can throw. Both are really good. So, we look really good right now.”
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 5, KAPAUN MT. CARMEL 1
Shawnee Heights (20-9) 102 110 0 -- 5 10 0
Kapaun Mt. Carmel (22-8) 001 000 0 -- 1 2 1
Cooper and Purvis. Adams, Pelfry (4), McDonald (6) and Worrell. W -- Cooper. L -- Adams. 2B -- Shawnee Heights: Lindsay, Purvis.
