FINAL:
VALLEY CENTER 5
CENTRAL 2

Following a third-place showing at the 2024 state tournament, Salina Central approached Wednesday’s regional with eyes set on a return.

Its opponent was Valley Center, and a Hornets team they had not seen during the regular season. As the higher seed, Central was the designated home team.

Junior Bodie Rodriguez got the start in Wednesday’s semifinal, bringing his 1.43 ERA from the regular season to the postseason mound.

Scoreless through two innings, Rodriguez pitched out of a couple jams to keep zeros on the board, giving the Mustangs every opportunity to score first.

The Mustangs had some help from Valley Center’s outfield to start the 3rd inning. A dropped fly ball in left field allowed Chance Hogan to reach second base leading off the inning.

One out later, Bodie Rodriguez traded his glove for his bat and singled to drive in the game’s first run and give Central a 1-0 lead.

Central’s next run came in the 5th, courtesy of junior Oscar Perez. The Mustangs’ catcher ripped a double to left center scoring junior Parker Graves to make it 2-0.

Facing a 2-run deficit, Valley Center had no problem finding baserunners. Hits and free passes helped them put together a number of threats, the biggest of which came in the top of 5th.

With the bases loaded and only one out, Bodie Rodriguez had his work cut out for him to try and keep the Hornets scoreless. A strikeout and groundout ensued, followed by the biggest outburst of emotion from the Mustangs’ starter.

With the score still 2-0 in the top of the 7th, Central needed three outs to secure a second straight trip to state. A one-out single and hit by pitch put the tying runs on base for Braden Heitsman. Valley Center’s team leader in RBIs drove in both runners with a base hit to left field, leaving Central stunned.

Once the shock wore off, the Mustangs were back at the plate in a tie game needing just one run to advance to a regional championship. The third Valley Center error put the winning run at second in the form of Grayton Gross.

Parker Graves then singled and with Gross rounding third and heading home, left fielder Connor Meyer threw a rocket to the plate and the tag was applied in time to call Gross out and send the game to extra innings.

Neither team scratched until the top of the 10th, when Valley Center took advantage of the first Salina Central error. If the play was made, it would have ended the inning, but instead it sparked a two-out rally and the Hornets plated three to win 5-2.

The future remains bright for Salina Central baseball. The Mustangs have gathered so much valuable postseason experience over the last couple years and with a number of key players returning for their senior year, the best is still yet to come.