Last year Aurora made its first trip to the baseball Final Four and the nerves got the better of the Houn’ Dawgs as they committed seven errors in the semifinal game and lost to eventual champion MICDS 7-4.
Fast forward one year and that game is but a distant memory after the Houn’ Dawgs exploded for 12 runs and run-ruled Pleasant Hill 12-2 in five innings to advance to the program’s first state championship game.
“These kids knew as soon as we walked off the field last year that this is where we wanted to be and we wanted to make it back here. They knew that first game (last year) that they were overwhelmed by the moment. That is the bottom line and they understand that,” Aurora head coach James Hoffman said. “They knew coming into today that Pleasant Hill was in the same spot we were (last year). We were going to go up and try to put pressure on them early. That is what we did.”
Future Missouri State Bear Wyatt Sparks struck out the side in the top of the first and then his offense went to work.
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Aurora’s pressure came in the form of playing small ball. Sparks led off the bottom of the first with a single. Then Kaleb Baker singled to the Pleasant Hill pitcher on a bunt. Matthew Miller followed with another bunt and reached on a throwing error that brought Sparks around to score. Gage Singer’s triple on the next batter made it 3-0 as Baker and Miller came around to score. Zac Shoemaker would reach on an error in the outfield which scored Singer to make it 4-0.
The Houn’ Dawgs didn’t let off the gas and scored six in the third and two in the fourth while Sparks did his job on the mound to end the game in five innings. Sparks struck out six and gave up two earned runs in the game.
Finishing the game in five innings said a lot about Aurora’s season-long growth.
“That was the big thing early in the year is that we would get up and then just continue to cruise,” Hoffman said. “Just being able to take care of it; to run rule somebody at the state championships is pretty big. It says a lot about our hitters, pitching staff and defense to hold them where they won’t be able to do anything.”
Now the Houn’ Dawgs turn their attention to a state championship game against Lutheran South. It is a big of a surprise opponent as Lutheran South beat Class 4 No. 1 Westminster Christian 2-1 in the other semifinal. It was just the second loss of the season for Westminster Christian.
Aurora will go to its other ace in Shoemaker for the championship game.
“I will take my chances with Zac Shoemaker on the mound. He has been good all year. He is a senior. This is his moment. Being able to throw your last senior game to your best friend behind the plate for a state championship; that is pretty special,” Hoffman said.
