Green Devils walk off Ogden

Advance to regional final

By Kristi Nixon

OSAGE — After Sydney Muller’s bases-loaded walk-off walk in the Class 2A Region 5 semifinal, the Green Devils weren’t interested in scouting their next opponent.

The other semifinal in the bracket at Manly was rained out shortly after the start on Friday, July 8, allowing top-ranked Central Springs to come scout Osage’s 5-4 victory over Ogden.

But, when asked, both coach Nick Hemann and Aubrey Chapman, who hit a game-tying two run homer in the second and earned the win in the circle in relief, didn’t think they were going to go look at the Panthers’ game against Lake Mills. He only learned that the game was postponed and was surprised to see the Central Springs team at this game.

“I’m pretty…I know what they’re doing,” Hemann said. “They are a dang good team, well-coached, nothing but respect for them.”

Chapman added, “Maybe, I’d consider it, but not really. We know what they do. We know their tactics, and know we have to show up on Monday. I don’t have any interest in watching at all.”

Muller, who faced a full count and fouled off a pitch before taking the walk that won it, was a little intrigued. However, she was looking forward to playing on Monday, July 11, no matter what.

“That would be a good one to watch,” Muller said. “I’m excited, get practice in over the weekend, get prepared, just show up ready to play. Know we can do it, trust in myself and play our game. We’ve seen them twice, we know they are going to hit the ball, play clean in the field. We need to follow, answer, play tough ‘D’ and to be tough in the batter’s box and do our thing.”

The Green Devils had to dig out of an early 2-0 deficit in which a couple of errors led to two Bulldog runs, but did so with the huge two-run bomb by Chapman.

“I was just looking for my perfect pitch,” Chapman said, “and trying to attack the first strike, because those are usually the best ones, so I attacked it right on the inside corner, just how I like it. And I hit it over the fence, I guess.”

She gave up the tying run in the top half of the seventh, but got a huge throw to cut down the go-ahead run at the plate by left fielder Maegan Krebsbach, who also got a big out on a throw to third in the sixth inning.

“I’m used to high pressure situations,” Chapman said. “I’ve been in them a lot, so I know how to deal with them. I tell myself that no matter what we still had a half inning left and we could still score, even if they scored on me. I just told myself that I had to throw strikes and that’s what I did.”

Even so, she felt ill watching Muller’s at-bat.

“I was hyperventilating,” Chapman said. “I told Kaitlyn (Olson) to clear a path in case I went to the trash can because I was that nervous. I get nervous easily, and I got really nervous there, especially when she fouled off that 3-2 pitch. My goodness. I was holding pinkies, breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth so I didn’t throw up.”

Muller was much more calm.

“Just stay cool, like in practice every day,” Muller said of her at-bat. “Trust your abilities, trust in yourself, really. Know that you can get the job done, take care of it.

“Nothing (like this I’ve faced before) that stands out to me, I guess, but I feel like you’re always in pressure situations. It’s in how you execute.”