BLOOMINGTON — It was a pitcher’s battle between Shelbyville’s Tyce Taylor and Cole Gilley of Columbus East. It became a difficult task for both teams to string together hits.
Taylor and Gilley pitched all the way into the eighth inning until both had to be relieved.
With the Olympians’ Julian Greenwell and the Golden Bears’ Drew Mathies taking over pitching duties, it was still a deadlock battle after 10 innings.
In the 11th inning, the tie was broken.
After Josh Major and Jonathan Foster reached base, Julian Greenwell smacked a double deep to right field, and Major scored to break the tie. A Shelbyville error sent Foster home, and in a collision at the plate, he was safe.
In the bottom half of the inning, Greenwell shut down Shelbyville and East prevailed with a 2-0 victory.
“I just had to find the right pitch I know that I can drive,” Greenwell said. “Cole pitched a great game and it was also the seniors possible last game and nobody wanted to quit for them.”
Gilley, making his first sectional start as a freshman, only gave up three hits and struck out seven.
“I pitched pretty well and I focused on just hitting my spots,” Gilley said. “We haven’t won a sectional in awhile, so I hope we can keep going and try to get one this year.”
Probably the biggest defense play of the game for East came in the bottom of the tenth inning when Shelbyville was threatening. With one out and the bases loaded, Damon Lux hit a line drive to right field and the catch was made by Klayton Brummett. He made the perfect throw to catcher Charlie Burton, who tagged the possible go ahead run out to end the inning.
It was Brummett’s second time playing in the outfield this season, and he came up big in the spotlight to keep the Olympians’ season alive.
“It was right on the money,” East coach Jon Gratz said. “These guys made some great plays, and it was unfortunate someone had to lose. It was a heck of a job by Cole. He bought in all season with everything we do and it is really paying off for him.”
