Seven Senior Stars

The La Grange baseball team won their opening round playoff series last week in thrilling fashion thanks to huge contributions from all seven of the team’s seniors – Braxton Dahse, Max Dixon, Bradyn Prasek, Kyler Lamza, Ty Stark, Hunter Sabo and Holdyn Cooper. 

Facing elimination after losing the first game of their best-of-three series to Sealy in extra innings, the Leps were down 8-2 in Game 2 before rallying to win 13-9 sparked by a homer from Sabo. Then they won the Game 3 clincher 2-0 thanks to a combined shutout from Dahse and Prasek.

Meanwhile, stellar offensive and defensive plays from Dixon, Lamza, Stark and Cooper kept their season alive. 

“It’s a great group of kids,” said La Grange head baseball coach James Zaruba. “Kids who enjoy the company of each other, like the game of baseball and bond well. It’s a good group of leaders, from setting up practices to preparing for games. Couldn’t ask for a better group coming into your first year coming into a program as a new coach.”

“(The series win over Sealy) it was unique, a true team effort. Bradyn’s heroic pitching in Game 2 with four innings of one run relief, Sabo’s three-run home run to pretty much quiet Sealy’s crowd and put us ahead, and then in Game 3, Ty’s great plays at third, Max’s diving catches in center, Lamza’s great backhanded grab to stop a double down the line, saving a run, Cooper stealing bases ... Braxton he came out and showed me he wanted the ball in Game 3.”

We’re proud to honor these seven seniors as this week’s Fayette County Athletes of the Week: Here are some thoughts from each of them about that bi-district series thriller:

“That’s the most fun I’ve ever had on a baseball field, no doubt. We were down 8-2 and nobody gave up, the energy didn’t change in the dugout. That just made us want it more. We had 19 hits in that game (two). That lit a fire underneath us and it went from there ... Coach Zaruba, no matter whether we win or lose, he says it’s back to work on Monday so we just know we have to do our job every time we’re on the field.”

Holdyn Cooper, Second Baseman

“It was amazing, when we went down 8-2, I didn’t know what was going to happen. I’m glad my baseball year isn’t over yet ... We just had to keep the energy and the excitement up. We were not going to let it end like that ... (In Game 3) Everyone was tired, we just had to keep the momentum and energy to pull it out ... We’ve all been playing since we were little.”

Ty Stark, Pitcher/Third Baseman

“It was very nerve-wracking ... We just started hitting the ball and capitalizing on their mistakes ... We’ve played baseball ever since we were five years old together. The chemistry it just clicks ... We want to leave it all on the field .”

Kyler Lamza, First Baseman

“Some of us thought it wasn’t going to happen, but people kept getting on base and doing their jobs and things happened perfectly for us ... Everybody works together. They do their job. We get along really well.”

Hunter Sabo, Catcher

“I had nothing to lose so I wanted to leave it all out on the field ...(Hitting the homer) Felt awesome. At first I thought I hit it up the middle and as I was rounding first and I saw the ump giving the home run signal it felt great ... My first homer of the season... (Getting back to the dugout after the homer) the energy was immaculate. Everybody was coming up giving me high-fives and hugs. Most of us played select ball together and have been playing Little League together, we’re just trying to enjoy this while it lasts.”

Braxton Dahse, Pitcher

“Being down 8-2 was a lot, but the key to that comeback was staying calm and staying true to what we know we can do ... We clawed back and Hunter with the big shot just took the life out of them ... We’ve all been playing together for years and years. It’s special ending it all with the people you’ve grown up with.”

Bradyn Prasek, Pitcher

“The score was 8-2 and we were down pretty bad (when he came on in relief in Game 2). The main thing I was thinking was keep the ball down so they hit it on the ground, no doubles, nothing deep. I trust my defense ... Braxton pitched a heck of a game (three), I knew we were all excited and coming off the first game Saturday, I knew I could do it (when he came in to pitch to close out the Game 3 win) ... We were all hyped up about it, but we have to put it in the past because we have another series coming up.”