Division I regional track finals
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Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Fairmont looks to Rockne and roll at regional
We’re gonna go inside, we’re gonna go outside, inside and outside. We’re gonna get ‘em on the run boys and once we get ‘em on the run we’re gonna keep ‘em on the run. And then we’re gonna go go go go go go and we’re not gonna stop til we get across that goalline. This is a team they say is… is good, well I think we’re better than them. They can’t lick us, so what do you say men?”
Those inspiration words came from Knute Rockne, and made famous again by the movie Rudy. They might also be heard before the start of the Division I high school baseball regional semifinal between Fairmont and Lakota West.
“(Senior designated hitter) Mike Green gives a lot of pregame talks to get us fired up,” said Fairmont junior Alex Lilley, who starts on the mound 5 p.m. today at Marge Schott Stadium at the University of Cincinnati. “He brings a lot of quotes from the movie Rudy. It’s football but it still gets us fired up.”
The Firebirds make their first regional appearance since 1988 and enter today’s game outscoring three tournament opponents (Tecumseh, Centerville and Cin. Elder) 15-0.
“We were pretty much at the bottom of the polls at the beginning of the year,” said Lilley, 6-1 with a 1.68 ERA. “We knew we were going to have a blow out year. It feels great.”
Another key to Fairmont’s postseason success is the production from the bottom of the order. David Steele (.308) Don Ross (.220) and Chris Donese (.323) have all contributed and aided Lilley’s three-run homer in that 4-0 win against Centerville in the sectional final.
“I’ve always said the key to these games is the 7-8-9 hitters,” Fairmont first-year coach Kent Drake said. “If you can get good production out of 7-8-9 good things are going to happen.”
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