The Diamond Devils found themselves looking up at a 3-1 deficit in the top of the ninth and not feeling good about the thought of no more baseball in 2008. After a weak eighth inning of three ground balls to the second baseman by the Devils offense and the St. Joseph Saints were feeling good about their chances of advancing in the State Tournament. The Devils needed something to fire  them up and it came in the form of a rotund St Joe’s fan with a 70’s Pittsburgh Pirate cap.

Brad Mazer led off the ninth inning with a solid base hit. Up to the plate came Andrew Engebretson, who in the bottom half of the eighth inning had a line drive glance off the top of his glove in left field. Enter St. Joe’s largest fan, who ignited the Devils, when he started to heckle Andrew about the misplay in left. After falling behind 0-1, Andrew ripped a pitch to right putting runners at first and second. KC Johnson moved both runners up a base on a two strike sac bunt. Lee Gregg tied the game with a  double down the left
field line. After a fly out to center Matt Goodwald drove in Lee with a base hit to center field. On the play, the throw from center was on target however, the umpire called Lee safe. The St. Joe catcher took exception to the call and started to argue with him as Matt calmly moved up to scoring position at second base.

As the fan, who lit the fire, complained to the umpire about Lee still not touching the plate, Andrew Pratt finally put an end to the complaining by driving in Matt with a base hit.


The Devils, for the second weekend in a row, rode the pitching of Adam Gregg and Cole Hansen. Adam did the yeoman’s work going 7 1/3 innings giving away to Cole Hansen who picked up his second win in the tournament.