Malden baseball slugs its way past Holden 9-3 in Class 3 state semifinal

Photo by Dustin Ward, staff
Malden's No. 2 Dalton Headley, No. 48 Ben French and No. 32 Dee Triplett head to the dugout after beating Holden 9-3 in a Class 3 state semifinal Tuesday at CarShield Field in O'Fallon, Missouri.

O’FALLON, Mo. — The Malden Green Wave entered Tuesday’s Class 3 state semifinal looking to do big damage with its bats before the Holden Eagles could implement its small-ball attack.

Photo by Dustin Ward, staff
Malden infielder Tye Miller turns a play at second base in a Class 3 state semifinal against Holden Tuesday at CarShield Field in O'Fallon, Missouri.

“We’ve been waiting for a big game offensively,” Malden sophomore Shay Amoss said. “We hadn’t put a complete game together offensively in the playoffs. Today we put the ball in play, good things happened and things fell our way.”

Malden got the offensive support it was looking for from the get-go. The Green Wave plated a run in second inning and five more runs in the bottom of the third inning to jump out to an early 6-0 lead.

Holden (23-5) cut the deficit as close as 6-2 in the top of the sixth inning but never got closer than a grand slam.

Malden added three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to increase its lead to 9-2 and hung on to beat Holden 9-3 at CarShield Field in O’Fallon, Missouri.

“We came out aggressive and scratched one out early and then got a couple timely hits,” Malden coach Tim Harmon said. “I think the errors hurt Holden early. We just made fewer mistakes.

“We had heard Holden likes to bunt,” Harmon added. "Getting out to a lead took that away because they had to play for the big inning. It’s hard to put together a bunch of hits in a row against a good team and right now we are not too bad.”

Photo by Dustin Ward, staff
Malden third baseman Shay Amoss makes a play on the infield in a Class 3 state semifinal against Holden Tuesday at CarShield Field in O'Fallon, Missouri.

Holden threatened to mount a comeback in the top of the sixth inning when it brought the tying run to the plate after Preston Garrett collected a two-out RBI single to cut the deficit to 6-2 and Andrew Martin was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Malden was forced to lift left-handed starting pitcher Dee Triplett after Martin was hit because he had reached his pitch count.

Photo by Dustin Ward, staff
Malden left-hander Dee Triplett delivers a pitch in a Class 3 state semifinal against Holden Tuesday at CarShield Field in O'Fallon, Missouri.

Right-hander Tye Miller took over from Triplett on the mound and got the only hitter he faced, Dakota Kilgore, to hit a sinking line drive toward first base that was caught by Triplett for the third out.

Photo by Dustin Ward, staff
Malden infielder Mason Brown makes a play at second base in a Class 3 state semifinal against Holden Tuesday at CarShield Field in O'Fallon, Missouri.

"That was big," Malden right fielder Dalton Headley said. "It put the momentum back on our side and got everything rolling again."

The out couldn’t have come at a better time for the Green Wave because it prevented No. 3 hitter Peyton Seiz, who finished a home run shy of the cycle, from batting in the frame.

“That kid is their player,” Harmon said. “He swung the bat well all day. I told Tye when I brought him in we wanted to go after the first guy and whatever happens happens.”

Triplett, Gavin Bristow and Mason Brown plated three insurance runs when they collected consecutive two-out RBI hits in the bottom of the sixth to increase the Green Wave’s lead to 9-2.

Brown relieved Miller at the start of the top of the seventh inning and pitched the rest of the way from the Green Wave. Seiz collected a leadoff double in the frame and later scored on a one-out double by Rylie Rokusek. But Brown got the final three outs before Holden could do additional damage.

“We made it happen,” Headley said. “We just relaxed and played baseball.”

Malden scored its first run when Bristow collected a leadoff single and later scored for third base on a balk in the bottom of the second inning.

The Green Wave added a five-spot to the scoreboard when it sent eight hitters to the plate in the bottom of the third inning. Amoss had a 2 RBI double, Triplett drove home a runner for third base when he hit a ground ball on the infield, a runner scored from third base on a wild pitch and another run trotted home from third base following a defensive miscue by Holden in the bottom of the third.

“That inning really fired us up,” Amoss said. “We got the momentum and kept putting it on them.”

Holden stranded 11 baserunners, including eight in scoring position.

The Eagles committed four errors. Malden had only one error.

“It’s one of the best defensive performances we’ve put together all season,” Headley said. “We knew we had to make plays to get the job done today.”

Headley was a big part of the defensive success. The junior tracked down five fly balls in right field.

“Bader has played right field for us most of the year but twisted his ankle in the district tournament,” Harmon said. “He hasn’t been right since. We’ve been going back and forth with Bader and Headley in practice. We feel likely Headley can move a little bit better right now and having him out there paid off today. He made some nice plays.”

Triplett (6-2) picked up the win on the hill for the Green Wave. He allowed two runs (one earned) in 5 2/3 innings of work. Triplett surrendered six hits, struck out four and walked five.

Rokusek (8-1) pitched the first five innings for Holden. He allowed six runs (four earned), struck out two and walked three.

Nathen Hedglin pitched the bottom of the sixth inning for Holden. He allowed three earned runs, struck out zero and walked zero.

Strafford beat Hallsville 6-0 in the other Class 3 state semifinal Tuesday.

Malden (25-5) will play Stafford (25-4) in the Class 3 state championship Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at CarShield Field in O’Fallon.

“It’s unreal,” Amoss said. “Most say we are not supposed to be here. But at the beginning of the season we knew we were something special. We knew we were something different than anything that has ever come through Malden before. We’ve played together as one team all year and we’ve got one game left together.”

The Green Wave remain in search of its first state title in high school baseball in school history.

“It’s what you dream about,” Harmon said. “These kids have worked hard all year. They’ve been very consistent and had great team chemistry. We just look forward to the chance to play for a state title.”

Harmon indicated both pitchers he used in relief are prime candidates to take the ball Wednesday.

“We are in good shape,” Harmon said. “Dee had a great outing and gave us what we needed today on the mound.”

Malden 9, Holden 3

HOLD 000 011 1 - 3 9 4

MALD 015 003 X - 9 10 1

WP - Dee Triplett. LP - Rylie Rokusek. 3B - Gavin Bristow (M), Peyton Seiz (H). 2B - Seiz (H), Rokusek (H), Sterling Phillips (H), Shay Amoss (M). Multiple hits - Malden: Bristow 3-3, Mason Brown 2-4, Amoss 2-3; Holden: Preston Garrett 2-3, Seiz 3-3.