Santa Fe too much for Tigers

CONCORDIA — Logan Kirchhoff was nearly flawless and the Santa Fe baseball team remained perfect Thursday.

Kirchhoff threw a complete-game gem to lead the Chiefs to a 9-0 win against Pilot Grove in the Class 1, District 15, championship.

Kirchhoff faced the minimum number of hitters and needed just 76 pitches as Santa Fe improved to 16-0 on the season.

“I was hitting the zone,” he said. “(Catcher) Kenzie Thorpe, as always, knew what I should throw, where I should throw it. He’s my man right there, I just do what he tells me.”

The right-hander allowed two hits and walked one while striking out 11 and the defense made some nice plays to eliminate all three Pilot Grove baserunners.

The Chiefs capitalized on some early Tiger jitters, scoring four unearned runs in the first for a quick cushion. 

“That was our game plan was to get ahead early, and they beat us to the punch,” Pilot Grove assistant coach Dave Flashpoler said. “We couldn’t do anything in the top half of the inning and in the bottom half of the inning, they did what we wanted to do. ... We couldn’t stop the mudslide.”

The rally started with nobody on and two outs when Taylor Wesley hit a soft bouncer that the shortstop couldn’t handle.

Kenzie Thorpe walked and Logan Wesley reached on another error, which allowed Taylor Wesley to score. Matt Lovercamp walked to load the bases and 

Brandon Schmidt followed with a two-run single to right. Kirchhoff capped the rally with a single through the left side, driving Lovercamp in and giving the Chiefs a 4-0 cushion heading into the second.

Santa Fe added a run in the second when Thrope laced a single to right, driving Taylor Wesley home from second.

Meanwhile, the Tigers were struggling to time Kirchhoff. The junior mixed a hard fastball with a biting curve to keep Pilot Grove off balance throughout the game. Of his 11 strikeouts, seven were on fastballs.

“The kid’s got a great arm,” Santa Fe coach Josh Fisher said. “He’s just a solid pitcher. He was very confident coming into this and he threw that last inning of our last game and he said he felt pretty good. He was just itching to get up there on the mound.”

Colby Kraus drew a one-out walk in the second to become the Tigers’ first baserunner, but he was caught stealing on a nice throw from the catcher Thorpe.

Kirchhoff carried a no-hitter into the fifth with the help of a brilliant diving catch in the fourth. Jordan Williams ripped a sinking liner to right with one out, but Lovercamp made a shoestring grab to rob the Tigers’ No. 2 hitter.

Nick Haller broke up the no-hit bid with an infield single to lead off the fifth. The Chiefs again erased the runner when Kirchhoff induced a grounder up the middle and shortstop Taylor Wesley scooped up the ball, stepped on second and made the throw to first in time to turn the 6-3 double play.

Williams wasn’t robbed of a hit in the seventh when he hit one-hopper to right field. Williams advanced to second when Lovercamp tried to throw him out at first and the ball sailed into the dugout. Trey Schibi followed with a flyout to deep center, but Williams was called out when the umpire ruled he left second early, ending the game.

“That pretty much sums up our night,” Flashpoler said. “They played well, they put the ball in play and we didn’t make plays.”

Williams took the loss, allowing eight runs — three earned — in 4 1/3 innings of work. Williams struck out eight, but walked five and threw seven wild pitches. The Tigers committed six errors.

Santa Fe, which didn’t allow a run in its three district games, will face Wellington-Napoleon on Monday. The Chiefs outscored their district foes 37-0.