Lehi baseball overcomes wild finish, sweeps Olympus to win 5A title
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- Lehi’s Maddux Madsen holds up the 5A baseball state championship trophy at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- Lehi’s Wack Christensen (left) slides in safely with the winning run against Olympus in the 5A baseball state championships at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- The Lehi baseball team forms a dogpile on the mound after winning the 5A state championship against Olympus at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- Lehi players hug after winning the 5A baseball state championship against Olympus at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- A Lehi baserunner slides into third base during the 5A baseball state championships against Olympus at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- Lehi celebrates a home run by Wack Christensen (right) in the 5A baseball state championships against Olympus at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- Lehi’s Wack Christensen (center) and his teammates celebrate winning the 5A baseball state championship against Olympus at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- Lehi first baseman Jackson Brousseau stretches for the ball during the 5A baseball state championships at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- The Lehi baseball team poses for a photo after winning the 5A state championship, defeating Olympus in Game 2 at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- Lehi pitcher Maddux Madsen flips the ball to first base in the 5A baseball state championships against Olympus at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- Lehi players celebrate after winning the 5A state championship, defeating Olympus in Game 2 at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- Lehi celebrates a home run by Wack Christensen (right) in the 5A baseball state championships against Olympus at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- Lehi’s Trey Hawkins yells encouragement from the dugout during the 5A baseball state championships at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- Lehi’s Maddux Madsen delivers a pitch against Olympus in the 5A baseball state championships at UCCU Ballpark on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- Lehi coach Jason Ingersoll (right) is doused with water after the Pioneers won the 5A baseball state championship against Olympus at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- Lehi players greet Zach Evans after he retired Olympus batters in the seventh inning of the 5A baseball state championships at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- Lehi’s Wack Christiansen slides into third base while Olympus’
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- Olympus coach Corland Felts (left) argues with an umpire in the 5A baseball state championships against Lehi at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- The Lehi baseball team forms a dogpile on the mound after winning the 5A state championship against Olympus at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- Lehi players celebrate after winning the 5A state championship, defeating Olympus in Game 2 at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- Lehi players celebrate after winning the 5A state championship, defeating Olympus in Game 2 at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- Lehi players celebrate after winning the 5A state championship, defeating Olympus in Game 2 at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
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- Lehi senior Zach Evans gets congratulated by a coach after hitting a walkoff single to win the 5A state championship, defeating Olympus in Game 2 at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
Heading into the final inning of the second game of the 5A state championship series, it appeared that the Lehi baseball team was on its way to a hard-fought but solid victory over Olympus to give the Pioneers their first title since 1981.
But it wasn’t going to be that easy.
The intensity and drama elevated with every pitch as the game progressed over two more wild innings before Lehi finally came up with the 4-3 victory.
“Winning today meant everything,” Pioneer senior Zach Evans said. “I’ve been playing with most of these boys for my whole life. It means the world to me.”
Lehi head coach Jason Ingersoll said he felt like his squad was in good shape as it started the seventh inning with a 3-1 lead, thanks to a two-run home run by senior Jaxon “Wack” Christensen in the bottom of the fourth.
“We have been watching them (Olympus) and they don’t go away,” Ingersoll said. “They play really hard. But I didn’t think there was any way they were getting two runs off of (senior Maddux ‘Mad Dog’ Madsen). but they were scrappy.”
The Titans got a trio of singles and an RBI sacrifice fly to drive in two runs, tying the score before the Pioneers could get out of the inning.
Lehi then looked to have a golden opportunity to end the contest in the bottom of the seventh as the Pioneers had runners at second and third with just one out.
“With Jake Olsen up there, I was sure he was going to put it in the air somewhere,” Ingersoll said. “It was hard hit but their kid came in and made a play. That’s what it comes down to in the state tournament. We knew it was going to be a close game.”
Olsen’s lineout was snagged just off the turf by Olympus shortstop Luke Affleck, keeping the runners from scoring. The next Lehi batter flew out, sending the game to extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, it was the Titans who put themselves in position to take the lead, using a double, a hit batter and a sacrifice bunt to be in the identical position as the Pioneers had been in the inning before (runners at second and third with one out).
But Lehi had been preparing for that type of a moment and came up with a key play.
“We talked in practice that they were going to try to bunt and squeeze in that situation, so to throw it off the plane and throw out the runner,” Madsen said. “It was a perfect scenario and it went as planned. That’s what happens when you work hard.”
The pickoff throw was right on target, getting the baserunner at third for the second out and then Evans struck out the final batter to end the frame.
“That was big,” Evans said. “It probably changed the game. It was definitely a good throw.”
Ingersoll said he was confident Madsen was going to make the play.
“He’s a Division I quarterback for a reason,” Ingersoll said. “With the leadership he brought, he kind of catapulted us forward and we never looked back. He’s a natural leader.”
The Pioneers started their half of the inning with a single but a 6-3 double play put two outs on the board and cleared the bases.
But Christensen was hit by a pitch and stole second to get into scoring position, providing an opportunity for Evans to finish the job with his bat.
“It felt so nerve-wracking,” Evans said. “I was so nervous but I just tried to stay short with my swing, get a hit up the middle or something.”
Ingersoll said Evans is a quiet young man but he just does his job.
“He came out of centerfield and got outs,” Ingersoll said. “Then he got up and put the ball in play. He does what he is supposed to do.”
Madsen said he was confident that Evans was going to get the hit the team needed.
“He has been so hot the last few weeks,” Madsen said. “There was no doubt in my mind that he was going to get up there and smoke a hit. It surprised no one. We were ready to go dogpile. He works so hard and that was a great moment for him.”
The Pioneer stepped up, got a pitch he liked and connected.
“It was an unreal feeling,” Evans said. “As soon as I saw that ball go through (between the second baseman and shortstop), I knew it was over. I knew he was really fast.”
As Christensen slid safely into home, beating the desperate Olympus throw from centerfield, Lehi players exploded out of the dugout and dogpiled on Evans.
“It was so awesome,” Evans said. “I was at the bottom, so I couldn’t breathe.”
It was a special moment for the Pioneers, who hadn’t won a title in 41 years.
“We’ve quietly had the best year ever at Lehi,” Ingersoll said. “We started the season with a plan and things started clicking. We started beating people and we started climbing but no one really gave us a shot. Having the best season in the history was pretty special for this group, for our kids. I’ve been a head coach for 10 years and I know how hard it is to win. When we got the final run, I was just looking for someone to pile-drive and have fun because it is hard.”
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