St. John’s Country Day Walks Off To Victory In State Semifinal

James Gilson connects for a walk-off, 2-RBI double in the bottom of the 7th that propelled the Spartans back to the state final.

This was one of those games for the ages.

With a chance to play for the ultimate prize in Wednesday’s state championship, the Northside Christian Mustangs and St. John Country Day Spartans battled like two teams playing for their very lives in Monday’s Class 2A state semifinal. The tug-of-war only intensified the later it got, as the lead changed hands multiple times in the final innings.

But it was the Spartans who delivered the final blow in the bottom of the seventh inning, as James Gilson crushed a double to the deepest part of the outfield to drive in two base runners for a walk-off, 5-4 win, at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers.

The Spartans celebrate joyfully as the winning runs cross the plate.

St. John’s Country Day (24-6) advances to the state final on Wednesday morning, against the Miami Christian Victors. Miami Christian (22-5) advanced with a 9-2 victory over The First Academy in Monday’s other 2A semifinal. The Spartans advance to their second straight state championship, and third overall. Both previous contests ended in defeat to Lakeland Christian, but this time the team can at least face a different opponent as it chases after its first state title in program history.

Monday’s victory did not come easily.

Having already competed six-and-a-half action-packed innings of play under the grueling summer sun, the Spartans capitalized with their final at bats. With their backs against the wall after Northside Christian (19-10) retook the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the frame, St. John’s quickly fell down to its final out after the first two batters went down in order. But Kyle Boylston singled to left and then Kolt Myers walked to put the winning run on the bases.

The Spartans celebrate on the field at Hammond Stadium after their walk-off win over Northside Christian in the Class 2A state semifinal.

That brought Gilson to the plate, which is probably exactly who the team wanted holding the bat in that moment after he was also the hero who won the regional final just to get them here. Perhaps still wearing his superhero outfit and cape under his uniform, Gilson was the hero once again. He worked the count to 2-1 and then jumped on his pitch to send it split between the outfielders deep to the center field wall and a few feet out of reach to be caught. With the hit traveling that far, it allowed both base runners to fly around the bags and come home ahead of any relay throw that ever could have stopped them.

The final moments only served as the last exclamation point from a game that thrilled from start to finish. There were three ties and five lead changes throughout, as the two clubs laid it all on the line to deliver an effort befitting the grand stage of the state Final Four.

The Spartans landed the first blow in the bottom of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. Boylston was hit by a pitch and then advanced to second on an error, before then moving to third on a ground out by Myers. Gilson was also hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners, although he was stranded there while Boylston scored off a sac-fly RBI from Seth Alford.

Kolt Myers was 1-for-2 and also walked, with a sac-fly RBI and two runs.

The Mustangs responded by taking the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Josh Reiter led off with a base hit to right field, and then he gave way to courtesy-runner Bobby Hearn. Chase Perkey then jumped on a 2-1 offering and lined it to right field for a two-run home run, his third homer of the season.

The action was just getting started. St. John’s answered right back to tie it up at 2-2 in the bottom half of the third. Gabriel Gilliand lined a lead-off single to center, moved to second on a pitch in the dirt and then advanced to third when Boylston got the ball to the right side for a 4-3 ground out. Myers then executed the final step with a fly ball to right field that allowed Gilliand to tag and score on the sac-fly RBI.

Even despite the offensive success, both starting pitchers delivered solid performances for their respective ball clubs. Jack Ensell went four full innings for the Spartans, allowing two earned runs on three hits, while recording five strikeouts without issuing any walks. Mustangs starter Andreas Alvarez was even more impressive, relying primarily on a mid-90s fastball that saw him strike out seven in six innings. He allowed two earned runs on five hits and a walk, while also hitting two.

Jack Ensell went four full innings for the Spartans, allowing two earned runs on three hits, while recording five strikeouts without issuing any walks.

After escaping a scoring threat by stranding two base runners in the top of the sixth, St. John’s regained the lead with a run in the bottom of the inning. Myers led off with a single to left, and he then managed to evade the tag in a rundown between second and third, when Gilson rolled a base hit through the left side and he avoided the tag to slide safely into third for runners on the corners. That play proved huge, as Alford sent one to right field for a sac-fly RBI and a 3-2 lead.

Not a fan in the stadium was foolish enough to think anything was over yet. The scrappy Mustangs continued to show the mettle that brought them to this historic occasion in the first place, as they rallied to take the lead once again with their final swings in the top of the seventh.

Same as would later be the case for the Spartans in the seventh, Northside Christian also found itself down to its final out with two base runners on. Luke Anderson and Perkey both walked, while two batters also went down on strikes to bring freshman Ashton Cox to the plate. Cox delivered like a seasoned veteran who had been in those situations his entire career, as he chopped a single past first base to bring both base runners home for the lead.

Kolt Myers just avoids getting tagged, as he slides safely into third base in the bottom of the sixth inning.

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