Rain delay works in Eagles favor against Indians

by Bill Althaus, Grain Valley News

It took three days to complete Grain Valley High School's baseball game at Fort Osage - but the wait was worth it for the Eagles.

The Tuesday afternoon game was delayed in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Eagles held a 6-4 lead, but the Indians had runners on second and third base with no outs.

The Indians' Nico Burt hit an RBI single and Steven Thomas followed with a two-run double to give Fort Osage a 7-6 lead.

The Eagles did not score in the top of the sixth inning, and it appeared the Indians would blow the game open as Blake Overbeck opened the bottom of the inning with a walk.

That's when Grain Valley coach Brian Driskell called upon reliever Jonah Doering to put out the fire.

The thinking man's reliever walked the first two batters, to load the bases with no outs.

"I had the bases loaded, and the first thing I did was look to see where my infielder's were playing," Doering said. "I saw they were playing in, so I knew if the ball was hit back to me, I had to throw home."

The ball was hit back to the lanky reliever who threw home to force the runner at third.

"We got that first out and I knew Brody (Wilp, the Eagles catcher) would get the runner at first," Doering said. "We were down a run and we didn't want them score again, so that double play was big. But in a way, I was expecting the 1-2-3 double play to happen, so there weren't any surprises."

Doering then got a strikeout to end the inning.

That's when the Eagles bats went to work. Grain Valley scored five runs in the top of the seventh with Brady Meyer, Michael Wilkey, Doering and Wilp driving home runs. The fifth run scored on an Indians error.

"It felt great driving in that run and seeing all the excitement in our dugout," Meyer said. "When we tied the game, we knew we were going to win. We had all the momentum and we were all psyched after Jonah pitched out of that bases-loaded jam and didn't allow a run. This is a big win.

"Fort Osage took the lead, Jonah came in and got the job done in relief and we scored five runs (in the top of the fifth inning).

Wilp turned in another defensive gem in the bottom of the seventh inning when he picked off an Indians base runner at third base.

"He called for an outside fastball," Doering said, "and I was about to call him off, when I noticed the runner at third was taking a big lead. I threw the pitch right where Brody wanted it, and he did the rest."

Wilp said the pitch from Doering played a key role in the pickoff.

"I got the pitch right where I wanted it and I threw the ball to third and we got the out. Everything worked like we wanted it to."

Driskell was pleased after his team improved to 17-10 overall and 7-4 in Suburban White Conference play.

"Jonah pitched out of that bases-loaded jam in the sixth and that got all the guys excited in the dugout," Driskell said. "It was a big comeback win after they took the lead. But once we got the momentum, we weren't going to lose it."
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Grain Valley High School baseball coach Brian Driskell congratulates his team after a dramatic 11-7 come-from-behind victory Thursday afternoon at Fort Osage. The game was postponed Tuesday night due to rain and resumed Thursday with Fort Osage hitting in the bottom of the fifth inning. Photo credit: Bill Althaus

Grain Valley reliever Jonah Doering got out of a bases-loaded, no-outs jam to pitch two scoreless innings of relief in The Eagles 11-7 victory over Fort Osage Thursday afternoon on the Indians home field. Photo credit: Bill Althaus