We're Going to the World Series!!

As the boys got thirty minutes of rest from the intense first game, the proximity of the field was humming. The Chobee parents were tucked under the pavilion practicing new cheers to keep the team moving in the direction of the state title. Kudos were passed back and forth between Sebring fans and Okeechobee on a well played game and tension grew as it came closer to game time. Both teams took the the outfield to restretch and refocus on the task at hand. Sebring's boys counted and chanted loud ... Okeechobee's boys retorted back even louder. The fervor grew as the boys made their way to the dugouts in preparation for the first inning. With Okeechobee again taking the role as visitor, Tyler Finney stepped to the plate to face Seth Abeln. Earning a full count, Tyler was determined to work the pitcher, fouling away seven balls in hopes of getting the perfect pitch. Well, that never happened and Tyler was walked to first base. Finney stole second base and was advanced to third when Justin Morgan smacked a ball to short and Sebring opted for the play at first. Mark Weir stepped to the plate and after three pitches sent the ball sailing to the left field fence for a double, bringing in Finney. Noah Wilcox followed suit and hit an almost identical hit for a single advancing Weir to third. After Will Jackson saw that this was the place to hit, he also slammed a ball into left center, bringing in Weir and Wilcox. With this extended run, Sebring felt a pitching change was necessary and brought in Daniel Ware to the plate. In attempt to advance Jackson, Bradley Coleman laid down the perfect bunt that put some pressure on the Sebring boys and resulted in a single. Thor Harden reached first with a base on balls. Timmy Farrell battled with two strikes, fouling several off before Ware set him down for the second out. Dean Radebaugh was the last batter to face Ware in inning one with a routine play from third to first. Sebring came to the plate knowing that they better get the bat rolling early, just as Okeechobee did. And THAT they did. With Tyler Finney on the mound, Seth Abeln took a pitch for the team and made his way to first. Alex Griffin hit a ball to third and the play was made at first while Abeln advanced to third. Corbin Hoffner pulled the ball intoright field scoring Abeln and the highlight of Sebring's game was a homerun hit by Jonathan Knight bringing in Hoffner and himself for two R.B.I.'s. With the bases cleared, Buddy Mays was able to sneak a ball past Okeechobee's shortstop for a single and advanced to second base on a pass ball. Tayor Townsend smacked a ball up the right side that was played by Farrell with Finney covering first base. The play was picture perfect but advanced Buddy Mays to third. Daniel Ware sent one flying between short and third bringing in Buddy Mays and Tyler was able to put an end to the streak with a strike out to Lyno Tijerina. The score at the end of the first inning was Sebring four - Okeechobee three.

The top of inning number two was almost carbon copy of inning one. After running through the whole line up in one, Tyler Finney opened the inning working Daniel Ware once again. After fouling off four balls, Tyler settled into a pitch and sent it air-mail to the leftfield fence for a triple. Jacalob Akins entered the game as a courtesy runner for Finney. The fervor in the Okeechobee bleachers began to grow once again. Justin Morgan hit a single to third with an RBI (Akins) and advanced to second with an error from third to first. Mark Weir scrutinized over Ware's pitching and was struck out with a controversial pitch that was called a strike. Noah Wilcox shot the ball up through the middle bringing in Morgan. He then stole second base and moved on to third due to a passed ball. Will Jackson marched to the plate and pounded the ball just as he had done in the first inning, earning himself a double and another RBI (Wilcox). Brad Coleman patiently waited for his pitch that never came and was sent to first with a walk. Thor Harden threw Sebring for a loop with a little hit between the pitcher and third for a single and loading the bases up. David Skinner entered the game as a speed-up runner for Harden. Timmy Farrell took a walk, earning him an RBI (Jackson) but was later thrown out when Jacalob Akins ripped a ball to the second baseman also bringing in Coleman. Akins managed to steal second base but was left there when a hard hit ball by Tyler Finney to centerfield was fielded by Sebring's defense. The score at the bottom of the second inning was Okeechobee eight - Sebring four.

Inning three started out slow for the Chobee boys. Justin Morgan laid a beautiful line drive up the middle but Sebring's Corbin Hoffner snagged it in mid-air for out number 1. Mark Weir was able to put the bat to the ball. However Sebring's defense had different plans and a play from second to first became out number two. Noah Wilcox finally got a piece for a single up the middle and a stolen base. Will Jackson hit into the same groove for a single that eventually brought in Wilcox. Brad Coleman was walked and stole second base. With Thor Harden coming to the plate and runners on second and third you could see the sweat begin to dribble down the brows of Sebring's players, coaches and fans. I am sure that the memory of the grand slam in the district tourney in Okeechobee was weighing heavy on their minds. After a brief conference, Sebring opted for the intentional walk, loading up the bases. Unfotunately their plan was successful as Timmy Farrell was sent back to the dugout with the third out. Sebring opened the inning with Jonathon Knight. He managed to hit the ball over to third and recieved a single due to an overthrow which then advanced him to second. He stole third successfully and awaited there as Buddy Mays struck out, Kyle Yarborough hit to Bradley Coleman near second base who threw to Weir for the out at second and Weir to Farrell on first for out number three. A picture perfect double play. At the end of the third inning the score was Sebring 4 - Okeechobee 9.

Okeechobee's stint at the plate in the fourth inning was quite short. Nate Green sent Jacalob Akins back to the dugout with a K and the next two outs were quick plays from third to first and short to first respectively. Sebring seized the opportunity to jump after sending the Chobee boys back to the field in three batters. Lyno Tijerina battled at the plate fouling off two balls after receiving two strikes then nailed the ball to third. He was out number one with the play at first. Gunner Westergom also battled fouling off three balls then sent a shot up the middle for a single. Seth Abeln pulled a ball up the third baseline for a double, scoring Westergom. Alex Griffin hit a solid ball between first and second base for a double, scoring Abeln. Corbin Hoffner joined in the hitting streak with a rock hard shot straight up the middle, scoring Griffin and landing on second. Unfortunately, that is where he would remain for the Knight strike out and third to first play on Buddy Mays' hit. The score at the end of the fourth inning was Sebring eight - Chobee nine.

The fifth inning was another short inning at the plate for Chobee. Sebring's defense was not going to give up easily. Starting out the inning with a strike out by Weir and two walks (Wilcox and Jackson), Chobee's at bat ended quickly with a double play off Brad Coleman's hit to short, to second and first for outs two and three. Although Tyler Finny had been pitching now for four innings he showed no signs of letting Sebring get away with a streak like they had in inning four. Good accurate pitching gave way to the Sebring boys putting the bat on the ball but Chobee's defense stood tall and pulled three outs in three batters: short to first, short to first, and second to first. The score remained tied at eight to nine, Chobee's favor.

In the sixth inning, Thor Harden started off with a nice hit up the left side for a single and advanced to second on an error by the third baseman. Timmy Farrell laid down a beautiful bunt advancing Harden and earning a single. Farrell advanced to second when the first baseman failed to catch the throw from the pitcher. Jacalob Akins returned to the dugout with a K and the next two batters' (Finney and Morgan) hits were easily fielded by Sebring's infield for three outs. Sebring's Gunner Westergom came to the plate took two pitches and tapped the ball to third. Will Jackson made the easy play to first. The next two batters (Abeln and Griffin) sent identical hits through the middle each for a double. Griffin received an RBI and major kudos as Abeln crossed the plate to tie up the game. Coach Morgan decided at this point that Tyler Finney had done his job and done it well and called upon Timmy Farrell to take the mound. on the first pitch, Corbin Hoffner sent a fly ball to right field that was nearly uncatchable, but Thor Harden gave everything his soul had and was in awe as the ball hit his glove. Griffen was in awe as well because he had already taken off for third and was unable to tag up before he was called out at second, ending the inning. Stress began to mount as the score was tied at the end of the sixth inning.

Okeechobee opened the seventh inning with strong batter Mark Weir. He clobbered the second pitch straight up the middle for a double. Noah Wilcox hit to second and Weir made them choose the play at first before bolting off to third. Will Jackson also shot a line drive up the middle, scoring Weir and placing himself securly on first base. The next two batters (Coleman and Harden) were unable to get on base. Sebring, now down by one had to step up to the plate and make something happen. Jonathan Knight worked Farrell hard making him throw six pitches fouling two away before sending a shot just beyond Tyler Finney at second base for a single. Buddy Mays in an attempt to slam a homerun caught on top of the ball resulting in a small blooper back to Farrell on the mound. Farrell to Coleman on first for out number one. Taylor towsend hit a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners and turned on the wheels for a single. Daniel Ware took a hit from Farrell and Lyno Tijerina took for balls. In a matter of minutes Farrell had the bases loaded. You could see the determination on the Chobee boys that they were not going to go back to Chobee once again falling to Sebring. Farrell fired pitch after pitch ... full count ... the croud was roaring from both sides of the field ... the last pitch .... Gunner Westergom swung with every ounce of energy in his body but ... did not hit the ball. OUT THREE. CHOBEE IS GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES WITH A WIN OF NINE TO TEN!!!! Of course the Chobee crowd burst into tears as did the Sebring crowd but what was amazing was the amount of sportsmanship between the two teams. The Chobee boys had been in the same shoes as the Sebring boys and remembered that feeling all too well. Several of the Chobee boys returned to the Sebring line up after trophies were handed out and congratulated them on a game of a lifetime. We are proud of the Chobee boys and very impressed with the Sebring boys as well.

Good luck boys ... and represent Chobee well in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. SWEET HOME ALABAMA!