How The Reds Won It
Regional Semifinals:
Eaton 23, Meeker 2
1st Inning: Frank allows a single and two hits to put Meeker ahead 2-0, but the Reds offense comes back with a 6-pitch walk to Noffsinger, a 7-pitch walk to Danley, a double by Anderson and a 2-run home run by Shelton, followed by a 2-out hit from Kundert, a walk by Barber, Kinoshita reaches on an error, then Noffsinger, Danley and Winter all single to score the 8th run of the inning, Reds lead 8-2
2nd Inning: Frank strikes out the side in order, the Reds fail to capitalize on a single by Shelton, Reds lead 8-2
3rd Inning: Frank again sets down the side in order, then Kinoshita walks, Noffsinger reaches on a fielder's choice, Danley doubles, Winter singles, and Anderson hits a 2-run home run, before 2-out hits from Prior and Kundert and a double by Barber cap off a 6-run inning, Reds lead 14-2
4th Inning: Frank gets two quick outs, then allows a walk but induces a groundout by the next batter to get out of the inning, Noffsinger walks, Winter reaches on an error, Anderson hits another 2-run home run, Shelton and Prior single, Kundert walks, Barber singles, Adams walks, Drovdal reaches on an error, and Hager and Anderson single to cap off a 9-run inning, Reds lead 23-2
5th Inning: Frank allows a walk but then retires the next three batters in order with strikeouts of the final two batters to secure the win, Reds win 23-2
Game Highlights: Anderson's offensive display with 4 hits, including 2 home runs and 8 RBI led the way for the Reds
Regional Championship:
Eaton 10, Denver Christian 0
1st Inning: Shelton allows a leadoff walk but then gets a strikeout and induces a double play turned by Kundert to end the top of the inning, Noffsinger, Winter and Anderson walk and Noffsinger scores on a wild pitch to give the Reds their first run, Reds lead 1-0
2nd Inning: Shelton gets a strikeout and then with the bases loaded induces a double play turned by Danley and Kundert to get out of the scoring threat, Kundert singles, Kinoshita and Noffsinger walk, Winter is hit by a pitch, Anderson singles, Shelton doubles, Prior reaches on an error, and Kundert delivers 2nd single of the inning to give Reds a commanding lead, Reds lead 7-0
3rd Inning: Shelton allows a one-out walk, but Noffsinger makes great play in centerfield and doubles off the runner at first base to end the inning, the Reds strand Noffsinger at 2nd base after a walk, Reds lead 7-0
4th Inning: Shelton strands a runner on 2nd base with a strikeout to end the top of the inning, Anderson leads off with a home run, Shelton and Kundert single but are left stranded, Reds lead 8-0
5th Inning: Shelton strands runners on first and second base and induces a flyout to Noffsinger to end the threat, Danley singles and Anderson doubles and scores on ball hit by Shelton to end the game via the 10-run mercy rule, Reds win 10-0
Game Highlights: Game Highlights: Shelton was dominant in scattering just four hits and got out of two scoring threats early in the game by inducing double plays, Anderson capped off a day in which he ended 7-for-8 with 12 RBIs and 6 runs scored in only 9 innings of offense played in one of the single best offensive displays in Eaton postseason history
State Semifinals:
Eaton 12, Kent Denver 4
1st Inning: The Reds fall behind with a hit and some 2-out walks in the top of the first inning but Shelton ends the threat with a strikeout to strand runners at first and third, the Reds hitters go down in order, Reds trail 0-2
2nd Inning: Shelton allows a hit by pitch and base hit to give up a third run before stranding a runner at third base with a groundout to Kundert to end the threat, Anderson and Prior walk but the Reds leave them stranded, Reds trail 0-3
3rd Inning: Shelton induces three groundouts to retire the side in order, Noffsinger walks, Danley singles, Winter walks, Anderson singles, Shelton and Kundert walk and Prior hits a sacrifice fly to give the Reds the lead, Reds lead 4-3
4th Inning: Shelton gets two quick outs and then yields a single before a flyout to Barber ends the top of the inning, Benson walks, Noffsinger triples, and Danley hits a sacrifice fly, Reds lead 6-3
5th Inning: After allowing a hit and a run on a sacrifice fly, Shelton strands a runner at third base with another strikeout, with two outs, Barber and Benson reach base, Noffsinger walks, Danley reaches on an error, and Winter singles to give the Reds a commanding lead , Reds lead 10-4
6th Inning: Shelton records three popouts to retire the side in order, Kundert walks, Prior doubles, and Barber and Noffsinger single, Reds lead 12-4
7th Inning: Gesick enters the game in relief to save pitches for Shelton in the State Title game later in the day, and sets Kent Denver down in order with a flyout to Shelton in rightfield to end the game, Reds win 12-4
Game Highlights: Shelton struggled a little early, but was dominant as the Reds' bats came alive, though with only 7 hits on the day, the Reds had to draw walks and manufacture runs with sacrifice flies to secure the victory as Noffsinger led the Reds with 3 runs scored on two hits and two walks
State Championship:
Eaton 2, Salida 1
1st Inning: Gesick allows a leadoff full-count walk, but gets a lineout to Danley who doubles off the runner at first, followed by a groundout to Winter to end the top of the inning, Danley walks, and then with 2 outs, Anderson draws a 7-pitch walk, Shelton walks, and Kundert draws a bases-loaded full-count walk to put the Reds ahead, Reds lead 1-0
2nd Inning: Gesick gets three quick outs with a couple groundballs including a double play turned by Kundert and Danley to end the top of the inning, the Reds strand Benson at third base following a walk, Reds lead 1-0
3rd Inning: Following a double and a walk, Shelton enters the game and with runners on 2nd and 3rd base after a wild pitch, induces a popout to Prior, a groundout to Prior in which he looks back the runner at third base, and then a groundout to Kundert to end the threat, the Reds are retired in order, Reds lead 1-0
4th Inning: Shelton allows one walk but gets two popouts and a strikeout to strand the runner at first, following a walk by Prior, Barber doubles but Prior is thrown out at the plate trying to score an insurance run for the Reds, Reds lead 1-0
5th Inning: Following a leadoff single, Shelton records a strikeout and then a double play is turned by Danley on a line drive that doubles off the runner at first base, the Reds go down in order, Reds lead 1-0
6th Inning: Following a one-out single, a double ties the game up in the top of the inning before Shelton records a strikeout and a groundout to Kundert to strand the would-be go-ahead run at third base, Kundert leads off with a full-count walk and then moves to 2nd base on a perfect sacrifice bunt by Prior, then moves to third base on a wild pitch, before Barber hits a high popfly in right-centerfield that Kundert tags up on and scores the go-ahead run, Reds lead 2-1
7th Inning: Shelton induces a groundout to Winter, then allows a single, then another groundout to Winter, and then strikes out the final batter on a 2-2 pitch to end the game, Reds win 2-1
Game Highlights: Gesick was strong and Shelton came in to shut the door, Reds' pitchers only recorded 4 strikeouts on the day, and utilized instead the Reds' nearly flawless infield defense which turned 3 double plays, offensively the Reds had only one hit in the game and were thrown out trying to score on that hit, but scored by drawing walks and using a sacrifice bunt, wild pitch, and sacrifice fly to score the winning run
1995 State Tournament MVP Russ Shelton
with Catcher Matt Anderson
and First Baseman Aaron Prior
Back-to-Back
Reds Repeat as State Champions
Game Winning Pitcher:
Russ Shelton
Tournament MVP:
Russ Shelton
Final Out:
Strikeout With Tying Run on Base
1995 Roster:
Standing (from left to right):
Cullen Kinoshita, Jon Gesick, Josh Drovdal, Todd Benson, Adam Frank, Jared Hager, Aaron Prior, Tony Winter, Mark Isakson, Kirk Danley, Russ Shelton, Brig Noffsinger, Kelly Oster, Ethan Cozzens
Sitting (from left to right):
Kurt Adams, Jeff Kundert, Chris Barber, Matt Anderson
Reds With 1994 State Championship Trophy at Prom 1995
