The familiar face of head coach Ken Coomer was also evident in the West Side dugout. He suffered a heart attack Monday and was released from the Cleveland Clinic on Saturday afternoon.
“It was like the old Willis Reed thing coming out of the locker room — I believe seeing Coach Coomer kind of pumped the kids up,” Hamilton coach Tim Nichting said. “They didn’t know if he was going to be in the dugout. I think it helped them relax and feel better.”
Coomer, walking slowly and doing his best to remain calm, was thrilled to be back with the team.
“When they said I was finally going to get out today, the first thing I asked was what my limits were,” he said. “I asked if I could go in the dugout, and the doctor said, ‘As long as you sit in the dugout.’ Of course I ended up standing half the time, but I’m not going to overdo it. I’ve got my girlfriend and my mom here, so they’re all over me. I’m being well watched.”
Coomer missed two games while in the hospital, the 15-0 win over Mount Vernon on Wednesday and the loss to North Canton on Thursday. He followed Twitter for updates.
West Side will get another crack at North Canton on Sunday in the finals. Hamilton needs to win twice to secure the state championship, and the locals hope to do just that at 2 and 5:30 p.m.
“We’re going to do it. We’re confident,” Nichting said. “But we’ve got a long day ahead of us. Everybody needs to step up. It’s got to be a team effort.”
Mound ace Kurtis Reid is slated to get the start in Sunday’s first final. Ryan Kirkendall is the only West Side pitcher that won’t be available.
Asked about the possibility of trying to save Reid for the second final, Nichting said, “I don’t think so. There’s probably no debate because people would probably kill us if we lost and he was sitting there. Plus, we’re hoping he gives us a momentum swing. You want to come out and set the tone for the day.”
Devin Fath, Max Lauer and Carson Haynes combined on a one-hitter against Galion, which has seen quite enough of Hamilton in the past week. Galion got outscored 37-1 in two state games against West Side.
“They’ve got our number,” Galion coach Jason McMullen said. “They’ve got a great team. We just can’t get the bats going against them.
He likes Hamilton’s chances of sweeping North Canton and earning a trip to the Great Lakes Regional in Indianapolis. The Ohio champion will play New Albany (Ind.) at 5 p.m. on Aug. 9.
“Well, we certainly helped them an awful lot tonight,” McMullen said. “I don’t think they used anybody they’re really counting on. I’m sure North Canton is not real happy with us.
“I think Hamilton’s going to be tough to beat. I think North Canton played a perfect game against them the first time, and that was probably the worst I’d seen Hamilton play. I don’t expect that again.”
Galion’s lone hit was a Carter Valentine double in the third inning. He scored on Brody Symsick’s ground out.
Fath retired the first seven Galion batters, and Valentine was the last guy he faced. Fath pulled a back muscle and came out after 20 pitches.
“The intent was to burn him today. It was really freaky that Devin hurt himself right on 20 pitches,” Nichting said. “Now we’re hoping with a little ice that we’ll be able to get something out of him (Sunday).”
Fath said he felt good for most of his time on the hill and expects to be OK to throw Sunday.
He delivered two singles and an RBI at the plate, adding to a 12-hit attack for West Side. Haynes launched a three-run homer in the first inning and totaled six RBIs, while Reid had a solo homer and a single.
“He left it high and I swung my hardest,” Haynes said of his long ball, which cleared the fence in right-center field.
Hamilton continued its tradition of winning the coin toss and choosing to be the visitor, then tallied six two-out runs in the first inning. Daryan Bowling’s RBI single started the run parade.
Bowling was 2-for-2 and got hit by two pitches, and Bobby Young also got plunked twice. Lauer (two doubles, two RBIs) and Erika Scott (double, two RBIs) were also among the offensive leaders. Gage Dermon, Jackson Lewis and Kirkendall plated a run apiece for West Side, which put up 14 runs in the fourth inning.
“You look at 21 on the board and kind of laugh a little bit, but we’ve got some kids in the lineup that have got to step up and hit the ball a little bit better,” Nichting said.
Galion used three pitchers. Owen Mullins started, threw 87 pitches and allowed 10 runs in three-plus innings.
“We hit good, we ran his pitch count, we played well defensively, and we pitched,” Haynes said. “We did everything we were supposed to do.”
McMullen said he’s got a very talented team that simply didn’t show it against Hamilton.
“There’s not that much disparity between the two teams. That’s why we’re so disappointed,” said McMullen, noting that Galion only has 50 players in its Little League. “I’m still proud of the boys. It’s just sad that it’s over. This group’s been together since they were 7 years old, and they’ve put a lot of time in. Between travel ball and this and hitting in the winter, that’s what we had to do to get here. And there’s more baseball ahead for these kids. I think they have a bright future.”
The past week has been something that Coomer certainly never expected when he brought his team to suburban Cleveland.
Nichting declined to use the term “heart attack” all week because he wasn’t sure how much medical information should be publicized. Coomer confirmed Saturday that he did suffer a heart attack and said heart problems are part of his family’s background.
“It is what it is. I had it, and the good thing is they caught it early enough and cleared my blockages out and did everything they could to get me back where I’m at now,” said Coomer, who will turn 42 on Tuesday. “It’ll take some time, but I’ll be back to normal.”
A divorced father of 18- and 13-year-old daughters, Coomer said he’s under doctor’s orders to avoid any type of strenuous physical activity for three weeks.
“I’ve gotten hundreds of texts,” Coomer said. “I’ve had very good family and friend support, and I appreciate all of it. We’ve got a big day (Sunday), and I’ll just try to chill and watch. I’ve got good help with Matt (Kirkendall) and Tim. We understand each other very well. They know what’s going on.”
Hamilton West Side 601-(14)—21-12-1
Galion 001-0—1-1-2
WP — Devin Fath; LP — Owen Mullins; HR — WS: Carson Haynes, Kurtis Reid.
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