By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
It took some late-night heroics, but the Topeka High baseball team swept rival Topeka West at Hummer Sports Park to give themselves some momentum for the postseason.
Topeka High senior Drayden Accosta delivered the game-winning hit to give the Trojans a sweep over USD 501 rival Topeka West. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TS]
After letting a four-run lead disappear in the top of the seventh inning of the nightcap, Topeka High's Drayden Accosta belted a game-winning single to right field to preserve the Senior Night sweep.
The Trojans won the opening game 9-4, then avoided the collapse in the second game, winning 7-6.
Topeka High led the second game 6-2 in the top of the seventh, but Topeka West rallied with four runs to force the Trojans to win it in the bottom of the inning. With a runner at second, Accosta came through.
“My mindset was, anything over the plate, I’m hunting fastball, knowing that it’s gonna come, knowing (the Charger pitcher) doesn’t want to walk me,” Accosta said. “He gave me a pitch to drive, and I did what I was supposed to do with it.
“There’s no better way to end my time, at Hummer. I mean, I’ve been playing here for four years, and I’ve loved every minute of it.”
The wins gave Topeka High an 11-14 record to close the regular season. Trojan coach Cody Miller said it would have been a shame to let that one get away.
“I think sometimes you take teams a little for granted and you think things are going to happen, but you’ve got to go make things happen,'' Miller said. "And we didn’t do that. And West woke up and swung the bats, to their credit. At least Drayden ended it for us there in the last inning.
“We definitely needed it. We’ve had a tough run here the last month or so. We’ve played a lot of good teams. The Centennial League is up this year, so we faced a lot of good opponents.”
In the first game, pitcher Trojan Caiden Tyrell held the Chargers to four runs over six innings. Cole Haubold handled the seventh by striking out four Chargers, including one who reached when the third strike eluded the
Miller said he hopes the sweep gives the Trojans some momentum going into the postseason.
“I think we’re going to get the same Wichita East team that we just played yesterday, that we know we can beat,” Miller said. “We’ll be ready to go.”
GAME ONE
TOPEKA HIGH 9, TOPEKA WEST 4
Topeka West 002 110 0 -- 4 6 3
Topeka High 103 302 x -- 9 9 1
Babcock, Vogel (4) and Downing. Tyrell, Haubold (7) and Gonzalez. W --Tyrell. L -- Babcock. 2B -- Topeka High: Accosta.
GAME TWO
TOPEKA HIGH 7, TOPEKA WEST 6
Topeka West (4-21) 100 010 4 -- 6 9 3
Topeka High (11-14) 031 011 1 -- 9 9 1
Calvert, Walker (5) and Babcock. Heald, Stamper (6) and Roman-Chavez. W -- Stamper. L -- Walker. 3B -- Topeka High: Toland.
