Charleston – Saturday morning at Go-Mart Park it was the drive for title No. 5 and some redemption for the Wahama baseball team.
Still stinging from a setback last year in the title game, the White Falcons were determined not to leave town without the Class A baseball championship trophy.
Pounding out 12 hits and riding a four-hit shutout performance from junior Bryce Zuspan, Wahama beat Tyler Consolidated 10-0 in six innings.
“We really came in loose and relaxed. You would think we would be uptight, but we weren’t. I think the experience of being up here last year helped,” Wahama head coach Billy Zuspan said. “After that 11-inning win over a great Charleston Catholic team Thursday, we thought we were the team to beat.”
After both teams went scoreless over the first three innings, the White Falcons took the lead with a run in the fourth inning and backed that up with four in the fifth and five in the sixth for the win.
“We had some great at-bats by seeing pitches and fouling pitches,” Zuspan said. “We had some nice solid hits, but we also had some, just put the ball in play and see what happens, type of situations that paid off.”
Ethan Gray had three hits in four trips to the dish and drove in three runs to lead the White Falcons. Eli Rickard had two hits and drove three runs, while Trey Ohlinger had two hits and two RBI.
Zuspan recorded the win needing only 66 pitches and also had two hits and an RBI.
“Bryce has a lot of mental toughness,” Zuspan said about his son. “He is not the biggest kid or a fireballer. He doesn’t throw it like some guys can, but he is around the zone. He is gritty and he just works to get outs.”
While the win Saturday is the fifth in school history for Wahama, it is the the third title under the guidance of Zuspan.
“All I wanted to do was be a Little League coach and here I am with an opportunity to coach this great program,” Zuspan said. “I do appreciate all of the guys that have ever played for me and have made Wahama baseball great. I am so thankful.”
The championship title also gives Wahama the sweep on the diamond after the softball team won its third title in a row in May.
