Middleton was getting shut down. But a late rally has it one win away from a district title
Middleton batters wore a quick path between the plate and their dugout early Tuesday. But the tide turned in an instant in the fifth inning.
The Vikings broke loose for four runs in the frame, rallying for a 5-2 win in the opening game of the 5A District Three baseball championship series.
Middleton (21-4) needs to win just one of the next two games against Eagle (19-3) to repeat as district champ. Game 2 of the three-game series is at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Eagle, and both teams have already clinched their state tournament berths.
“It sets us up really well,” Middleton senior Treyton Swygart said. “We’ve got so many more pitchers. We’ve got probably the best staff in the state. They don’t know what’s coming for them tomorrow. We’ve got just absolute dudes on the bump the rest of the way.”
Shortstop Boomer Collins got the party started in the fifth, lacing a two-run triple down the right-field line for a 3-2 lead. Ian Lenius followed with a picture-perfect squeeze bunt to bring Collins home. Eagle then chose to intentionally walk Swygart, who crushed a towering solo home run in his previous at-bat, to face freshman Cam Lenius.
The freshman made the Mustangs pay, dropping an RBI single into the left-field corner for a three-run lead.
“Before tonight, he was already second on our team in RBIs,” Middleton coach Bryan Swygart said. “He’s hit everywhere in our lineup. I just gotta say that kid, for a freshman, has got ice in his veins.”
That lead was more than enough for Treyton Swygart on the mound. The Portland signee gave up two runs in the first inning on an infield single and a sacrifice fly. But he stymied Eagle the rest of the way, scattering three hits over the final six innings while striking out eight.
“It happens every single game,” Treyton Swygart said. “I know if they score, it’s always in the first inning. Then after that, I dial it in and get a little comfortable. I got to just get the jitters out and start having fun.”
Eagle starting pitcher Luke Scott cruised through the Middleton lineup through four innings, surrendering just two hits, including Swygart’s home run. But the wheels came off in the fifth as the Vikings scored all four runs with two outs.
Collins’ triple only figured to tie the game. The relay throw from Eagle right fielder Jacob Black reached catcher Cole Casagrande in time to tag out Payton Hess. But Hess plowed into Casagrande, dislodging the ball, and the rally was on.
Bryan Swygart said the late rallies have become a theme for Middleton this season. With the 5A classification’s top offense (8.8 runs per game), the Vikings continue to show no lead is safe.
“We’ve just talked about resiliency, we’ve talked a lot about the mental approach to the game,” the elder Swygart said. “We’ve really focused on that this year and not letting ourselves get beaten upstairs, which is probably your No. 1 enemy.
“I felt if our guys could just get a few good at-bats together, if we could scratch a run off them, that we could put some pressure on them.”
This story was originally published May 7, 2024 at 10:29 PM.
