Forget, for the moment, the torrent of runs and hits Good Counsel produced last week.
What ultimately determined the Falcons’ fate in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Tournament was whether they could get anyone out. That question weighed heavy Friday afternoon in the championship game as reliever Colin Stevens sailed two fastballs high and far out of the strike zone to go to a 3-1 count with two on, none out, and the Falcons leading, 14-12, in the seventh inning against Paul VI.
With a win and a save in two previous tournament games, Stevens was the Falcons closer. They would sink or swim with the junior right-hander. Grasping for the strike zone Friday at the University of Maryland, Stevens needed a life saver. So out of the dugout came coach John McGowan for a heart-to-heart.
Whatever McGowan said worked. Seven pitches later, including six strikes, Stevens had registered three outs and Good Counsel had its first WCAC title in 16 years.
“I said, ‘Do you have it?’” said McGowan of his visit. “He said, ‘Yeah I have it.’ I said, ‘No you don’t.’ He said, ‘Yes I do.’”
McGowan was playing mind games, making sure Stevens believed he was up to the task.
“I just wanted him to be confident in what he was doing,” said McGowan. “I need to get him to say to himself that he could do it.”
Considering what Stevens achieved earlier in the week, there shouldn’t have been much doubt. On Tuesday, he got the final two outs to save Good Counsel’s 11-9 win over top-seeded Gonzaga. The next night, he limited No. 3 seed St. John’s to two runs in five relief innings in a 10-4 victory.
“I didn’t pitch much this year,” said Stevens, who threw only 10 2/3 innings in the regular season, going 0-2. “But when we got to the playoffs coach said he needed me.”
Good Counsel (14-12-1) entered the tournament with a losing record, but in three games hit .433, banging out 45 hits and scoring 35 runs.
Down 11-3 in the championship game, Good Counsel trusted its offense. In the sixth inning, the Falcons exploded for eight runs. Catcher George Papuchis hit a towering two-run double to center and centerfielder Kevin Jones capped the rally with a two-run home run. It was one of eight round trippers in the tournament by six different Falcons.
“Ten runs a game in this tournament against the quality pitchers we were up against — that’s crazy,” said Papuchis, who leads the Falcons with seven home runs. “Deep down we knew all along we could score runs against anybody. This tournament we finally put it all together.”
Tournament tough
» At the top of the order, outfielders Billy Henig and Ryan Bottegal hit a combined .500 and scored 13 runs in the tournament.
» Lefty Steve Ulaky hit .750 with three doubles and a home run.
» Cleanup hitter George Papuchis made the most of his four hits, knocking in nine runs.
» Infielders Mike Ross and Mark Steiding hit two home runs each.
