Two days after getting beaned, senior Caleb Lanphear pitched Millard West into the Class A championship game.
He threw five strong innings and struck out eight as the Wildcats defeated Grand Island 5-1 in a state tournament semifinal at Omaha's Tal Anderson Field.
Millard West (32-6) will play at 7 p.m. Friday night in quest of its second straight title.
Lanphear was struck near the right eye by a fastball in Monday's 9-1 win over Omaha Creighton Prep. He said he felt no ill effects, though the bruising near his eye was evident.
"It was just all mentality, and you have to look past injuries," he said. "I got it checked out and nothing was broke or concussed."
Lanphear's strong start allowed the Wildcats to save ace Drew Deremer for Friday's final.
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"Caleb came out and threw a great game," coach Steve Frey said. "I thought for sure he wasn't going to be able to throw but there were no broken bones and the swelling went down."
The eighth-seeded Islanders had forced a second game against Millard West with a 7-5 victory earlier in the day. That was the first loss for the Wildcats in the double-elimination tournament.
Grand Island rode that momentum into the second game, grabbing a 1-0 lead in the first. The Wildcats caught a break in the bottom of the inning after the Islanders appeared to turn an inning-ending double play.
The umpires ruled interference as a runner tried to return to second base, keeping the inning alive. A double steal scored Nick Venteicher and Nixon Snyder drove home another run with a ground-rule double.
"It's one of those plays you don't see happen often," Frey said. "We hadn't seen it all year and of course we see it in a big game."
Millard West scored three insurance runs in the fifth. Tanner Wilbeck and Caden Driessen had RBIs and a third run scored on a balk.
Joey Hartnett came on in the sixth and Venteicher finished up, working out of a bases-loaded jam.
​He struck out the side in the seventh to lift Millard West back into the title game for the fourth straight season.
Now the Wildcats will be able to show their stuff on Nebraska Public Media television Friday night.
"That's exciting," Frey said. "To have them be seen on the statewide stage is really great."
Grand Island (15-11)......100 000 0—1 8 0
Millard West (32-6).........200 030 x—5 6 1
W: Lanphear. L: Gydesen. S: Venteicher. 2B: MW, Snyder.
Game one: Grand Island 7, Millard West 5
Grand Island defeated Millard West 7-5 on Wednesday to stay alive at the Class A state baseball tournament.
The win by the eighth-seeded Islanders forced another game Wednesday afternoon to determine which team would advance to the Class A title game Friday at UNO's Tal Anderson Field.
It was the first loss of the double-elimination tournament for the Wildcats.
Grand Island scored seven runs with two outs in the second inning. Cohen Evans and Sam Dinkelman each had a pair of RBIs.
Korey Cozad had two RBIs for Millard West while Tyson Lewis belted a solo home run.
Millard West (31-6)........101 201 0—5 5 2
Grand Island (15-10).....070 000 x—7 5 4
W: Plummer. L: Ferguson. 2B: GI, Gannon. HR: MW, Lewis.
Nebraska high school state baseball Class A bracket, May 16
Nebraska high school state baseball Class B bracket, May 16
Nebraska high school state baseball Class C bracket, May 16
Photos: Nebraska high school state baseball tournament, day 5
Grand Island's Kaden Kuusela (20) pitches in the Millard West vs. Grand Island NSAA Class A baseball semifinal game in Omaha on Wednesday. Grand Island won the first double-elimination semifinal 7-5.
Millard West's Nick Venteicher (2) throws to first in the Millard West vs. Grand Island NSAA Class A baseball semifinal game in Omaha on Wednesday. Grand Island won the first double-elimination semifinal 7-5.
Grand Island's EJ Arends (2) slides safely into first after being caught trying to steal second in the Millard West vs. Grand Island NSAA Class A baseball semifinal game in Omaha on Wednesday. Grand Island won the first double-elimination semifinal 7-5.
Millard West's Brady Brau (4) swings the bat in the Millard West vs. Grand Island NSAA Class A baseball semifinal game in Omaha on Wednesday. Grand Island won the first double-elimination semifinal 7-5.
The Millard West dugout cheers on their team in the Millard West vs. Grand Island NSAA Class A baseball semifinal game in Omaha on Wednesday. Grand Island won the first double-elimination semifinal 7-5.
Grand Island head coach Kirby Wells talks to his team in the Millard West vs. Grand Island NSAA Class A baseball semifinal game in Omaha on Wednesday. Grand Island won the first double-elimination semifinal 7-5.
Grand Island's Tyler Douglass (5) swings the bat in the Millard West vs. Grand Island NSAA Class A baseball semifinal game in Omaha on Wednesday. Grand Island won the first double-elimination semifinal 7-5.
Millard West's Trent Helms (29) pitches in the Millard West vs. Grand Island NSAA Class A baseball semifinal game in Omaha on Wednesday. Grand Island won the first double-elimination semifinal 7-5.
Grand Island's Sam Dinkelman (1) smiles with teammates during the Millard West vs. Grand Island NSAA Class A baseball semifinal game in Omaha on Wednesday. Grand Island won the first double-elimination semifinal 7-5.
Grand Island's Riley Plummer (4) pitches in the Millard West vs. Grand Island NSAA Class A baseball semifinal game in Omaha on Wednesday. Grand Island won the first double-elimination semifinal 7-5.
Millard West's Nick Venteicher (2) races to home in the Millard West vs. Grand Island NSAA Class A baseball semifinal game in Omaha on Wednesday. Grand Island won the first double-elimination semifinal 7-5.
Grand Island's Riley Plummer (4) watches, from the dugout, the Millard West vs. Grand Island NSAA Class A baseball semifinal game in Omaha on Wednesday. Grand Island won the first double-elimination semifinal 7-5.
Lincoln East's Troy Peltz scores in the top of the tenth inning against Millard West during the Class A state baseball tournament on Friday. On deck is Mason Gaines.
Lincoln East's Troy Peltz scores in the top of the tenth inning against Millard West during the Class A state baseball tournament on Friday.
Lincoln East celebrates their extra-inning victory over Millard West during for Class A state baseball tournament on Friday.
mike.patterson@owh.com, 402-444-1350, twitter.com/MPattersonOWH
Mike Patterson
Mike covers high school sports, primarily volleyball in the fall, girls basketball in the winter and baseball in the spring and summer. He also reports on horse racing for The World-Herald. Follow him on Twitter @MPattersonOWH. Phone: 402-444-1350.
