Sperry wraps up title with run-rule victory
Sperry wraps up title with run-rule victory

SHAWNEE — Several Sperry players were worried a dogpile celebration could re-injure ace pitcher Bobby Bundy's knee.

Fortunately, they had plenty of time to get creative.

The Class 3A state championship baseball game was never in doubt Monday night as the Pirates slammed their way to a second title in three years, winning in a 15-2 run-rule over Beggs (29-11). Last year, it was Sperry on the receiving end of the blowout, losing 9-1 to Bethel.

"It left a bad taste in our mouths,” said Bundy, who focused Monday's pre-game speech on last year's embarrassment. "I told ‘em, ‘Guys, 9-1 didn't feel good last year. Let's turn it around.' I ask them to jump on them early, and that's what we did. It was really special.”

Bundy, an Arkansas signee and a potential high draft pick this summer, pitched a complete game. He struck out eight and gave up only four hits. He went 3-for-3 at the plate with a double and three RBIs.

Every Sperry starter recorded a hit. And, like Bundy had emphasized, the Pirates jumped out early and never let up while finishing the season 35-3.

In the top of the first inning, Sperry had six runs and seven hits. At one point, the Pirates connected for five RBI base-hits in a row off Beggs ace Zach Grimmett.

In the second, freshman Shane Bay singled in two more runs, pushing Sperry's lead to eight.

In the third inning, the Pirates reeled off four consecutive RBI singles.

In the fourth, Byron Teel finished the scoring onslaught with his fourth hit of the game, an RBI single. The hit put Sperry up by 15 runs and gave the Pirates an inning or so to figure out how to celebrate without hurting Bundy's knee.

Bundy suffered a torn knee ligament at the beginning of basketball season, forcing him to rehab hard to make it back for baseball season. Even with a quick recovery, he still missed the first eight games and had to wear a brace all year. To be safe, the players suggested Bundy could jump on someone else instead of the other way around.

Bundy would have none of it. Instead, when the senior threw his final high school pitch, the players hesitated for a brief moment as Bundy dropped to his stomach in front of the mound, well-protected for the chaos.

"It was a blast,” Bobby said. "I just got down and then kind of army-crawled my way out.”

Nick Grimmett provided Beggs' only highlight with a two-run single in the fifth. While the Golden Demons fell short in their first title game appearance ever, coach Steve Lynch wasn't discouraged. Beggs (29-11) made it to the game having lost seven potential starters — and nearly half the team — to various reasons during the season.

"It's an amazing feat for this bunch of kids to get here and be here with all they've gone through this year,” Lynch said. "Every fairy tale's got to end sometime.”

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