The Patriots baseball team storms the field after Grant Gremel drove in the game-winning run as USA topped Owen-Gage 4-3 for the district title at USA high school.
By Mike Gallagher
Sports Writer
SEBEWAING — All season the USA Patriots have had one goal — to win a district title.
Last Friday night on their home field, the Patriots accomplished that goal, defeating Owen-Gage 4-3 on a walk-off RBI single by Grant Gremel.
“From day one in the gym we sat down in the gym and talked,” said USA coach Tyler Bader. “We said the mission was to get a number on that banner, and if we don’t get one then we didn’t work hard enough.”
Owen-Gage made the Patriots work as they led for most of the game after taking scoring runs in the third, fourth, and fifth innings to take a 3-1 lead going into the sixth inning.
That was when Bader had another talk with his players.
“When we came in at the bottom of the sixth I told them ‘To be champions you have to overcome some adversity,’” said Bader. “I told them that it’s going to come down to the last inning, and I told them that they were going to win it. I can’t believe I said it, and I don’t know how much I believed it, but I said it.”
USA plated two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on RBI singles by Gremel, and Cole Finkbeiner to tie the game 3-3. Aaron Saenz came in to pitch in the top of the seventh and retired the side in order to set up the dramatic seventh inning finish.
USAs Grant Gremel stands at the plate before knocking in the game-winning run to give the Patriots their first district title in seven years. Gremel finished the game with two hits and two RBIs.
The Bulldogs recorded two quick outs before Finkbeiner reached on a base hit to right field. That was when Gremel stepped to the plate.
“I didn’t expect it to go down like that,” said Gremel. “But it came down to me and I wanted that shot.”
Finkbeiner stole second base to move into scoring postition, and on a 1-2 count Gremel hit a high fly ball between the second baseman and right fielder.
“When the ball was in the air I was just yelling for it to get down,” said Bader. “I can’t even describe it, I was like a little kid.”
The ball did get down, and Finkbeiner scored the game-winning run to give the Patriots their first district title in seven years.
“The past three years we have been up in districts, but they’ve come back and beat us each time,” said Bader. “It was kind of like deja vu, except we came back, so it was nice to be on the other side of that.”
USA played in front of a large home crowd, and coach Bader said that the fans had a big part in the Patriots victory.
“They were huge,” Bader said. “Its tough when stuff isn’t going your way, but when you hear your own fans encouraging you and keeping you up, the players feed off of that, and that’s huge.”
Finkbeiner finished the game with two hits and scored two runs, while Gremel had two RBIs. Ezra Arnold went six innings for the Patriots, striking out eight and allowing one earned run, and Saenz picked up the win, his second of the day after defeating Caseville in the semifinal.
Jacob Wright took the loss for the Bulldogs, but pitched well, striking out nine batters, and allowing two earned runs, while throwing 137 pitches.
“It was a great game played by both teams,” said Owen-Gage coach Brian Wright.
Owen-Gage finishes the season with a 14-8 record and will return most of their team next season including Wright who is only a junior this year.
USA moves onto the Mayville regional, and will face Clarkston Everest Collegiate (17-19-1), the winner of the Dryden district.
“I think we have a good chance to win regionals,” said Gremel. “We’re a good team.”
“I told the guys after the game that this memory will stay with you forever,” said Bader. “I love all of them, and we’re looking forward to playing more baseball.”
