York High won its first baseball state championship since 1989 by upending previously unbeaten Liberty Christian Academy 10-5 in the Class 3 final Saturday at Monticello High.
Casey Cheaney delivered the decisive blow, a grand slam in the top of the sixth inning that increased the Falcons’ lead to five runs. Jack Harmon was the winning pitcher, throwing 4 1/3 innings in relief of ace Bobby Holihan. Harmon allowed just one hit and one run, striking out five.
“Bobby gave it everything he had and I love him to death,” York coach Nick Ham said. “Jack is a bulldog. He’s not backing down.”
The Falcons (19-9) showed early they weren’t intimidated by the unbeaten Bulldogs as Holihan and Harmon drove in runs on the way to a 2-0 lead. But LCA retaliated with two home runs in the bottom of the first to take a 3-2 lead.
The teams exchanged leads again before Will Hunt’s sacrifice fly put York ahead 6-5 in the sixth. That set the stage for Cheaney’s grand slam over the left-field fence.
“He finally got his home run,” Ham said, noting it was Cheaney’s first of the season. “Nobody deserves it more.”
Harmon held the Bulldogs scoreless in the sixth and seventh innings. He ended the game by inducing three popups, the final one Cole Draper squeezed in left field. The Falcons celebrated their first state title since the legendary 1989 team won the Group AA crown in its third trip to the championship game in as many years.
“This means everything,” Ham said. “To get the job two years ago, with a group that didn’t have a track record of success, then have them buy in, believe in each other and work to get better every day, is a great thing.”
