Potosi Upsets State-Ranked Central To Win Class 4 District 2 Baseball Championship On KREI

Logos courtesy of the schools

(Ste. Genevieve) The 11-11 Potosi Trojans upset the state-ranked Central Rebels to win the Class Four District Two baseball championship game on Tuesday. Potosi won 10-8 at Yank’s Field in Ste. Genevieve.

The Rebels jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two innings of play. Junior Casen Murphy brought produced an RBI single in the bottom of the first.

Sophomore Lucas Whitehead retired the first eight Potosi batters, only conceding a walk, but a two-out rally in the top of the third put the Trojans on the board.

Central led 3-2 after three. Potosi replicated the third inning with another two-out rally in the fourth. Freshman Lane Revelle put the Trojans on top 4-3.

Central loaded up the bases with no outs in the bottom half of the inning. Murphy gave the Rebels the lead right back.

Whitehead, nearing his pitch limit, was relieved by freshman Kale Dreier in the fifth. Potosi’s starting pitcher, senior Ty Mills, had a one-two-three inning in the bottom of the fifth.

The Trojans sent 11 batters to the plate in the top of sixth, including seven before an out was recorded. Senior Jay Pashia’s RBI single made it 6-5 Rebels, then senior Blake Coleman stepped in with two on.

Dreier was replaced by sophomore Barrett Henson. Seniors Colton Politte and Issac Jones extended the lead.

Central had three errors in the field during this time and Potosi led 10-6 going into the bottom of the sixth. Central had a man on second with two outs and Murphy at the plate, but Ty Mills used a nifty pickoff move to get sophomore Jaxon Jones in a pickle and got the out.

Henson stranded the bases loaded in the top of the seventh. Trailing by four, the Rebels started a two-out rally to cut into the lead. Senior Kendall Horton and Whitehead knocked in RBI singles.

Mills was forced out of the game for reaching his pitch limit. Isaac Jones replaced him, and he hit the first batter, meaning there was a force-out at second base with junior Jobe Bryant at the plate…

Potosi won a district championship for the first time since 2018, and beat the Rebels for the first time since 2019. After trailing multiple times, coach Joe Portell says his kids have no quit in them.

Central coach Ronnie Calvird wanted to give his thanks after the loss.

Pashia went 4-for-5 with two RBI. Sansegraw was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Revelle went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a walk. Every Potosi batter either recorded a hit or scored a run. The Trojans will play either Cape Notre Dame or Kennett in the Class Four State Sectionals.

Central ends their campaign at 19-4. Ty Schweiss was 3-for-4 at the dish. Murphy went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Jobe Bryant was 2-for-4.

Interview with Joe Portell: