The Thunder used big hits and steady pitching to beat St. Johns Country Day 5-3 in Fort Myers.
By
Ryan Kohn
| 6:25 p.m. May 20, 2021
East County
Sports
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One day after The Out-of-Door Academy baseball Coach Mike Matthews turned to small ball to win a game out of a lack of timely hitting, the Thunder offense had to face an even bigger challenge in St. Johns Country Day (24-7), and this one was for the Class 2A state championship. Matthews said he had full faith in his offense to recover from its unusually tough day and rise to the challenge.
ODA (24-3) proved him right.
Home runs from junior Aidan Marino and senior Nolan Lewellen were the big hits Matthews knew would eventually come, the type of hits the Thunder has pulled out of its bag all season when it needed them the most. The home runs, combined with St. Johns committing three errors in the second inning, and steady pitching from junior Josh Cone and senior Tyler Colditz, were enough to give the Thunder a 5-3 win, securing the state title. It is the program's first state title win.
Colditz struck out the final batter of the game and the team dogpiled him in celebration. Hugs were given and laughs were had. Lewellen said as fun as the celebration looked, it felt even better.
"I'm just trying to take in every moment," Lewellen said. "There's not a better group of guys we could have done this with. A lot of us have been together since we were 9 or 10 years old. This whole day we have been talking about it. Our goal was [winning] the state championship, and we did it. Goal acquired, I guess."
Despite being outhit 8-6, ODA was able to stay in the game thanks to St. Johns' second-inning defensive mistakes. Down 2-0, consecutive errors by the Spartans put Colditz and senior PJ Fincher on second and third. Senior Ryan Kelly hit a sacrifice fly to score Colditz and Fincher advanced to third on the throw home. The next hitter, freshman Nolan Naese, hit a shallow pop up that escaped the range of the Spartans' infielders and dropped for a base hit. Fincher would score to tie the game.
Marino would break the tie with his two-run homer in the fourth inning.
"It was a long at-bat," Marino said. "I was battling, trying to see every pitch. He [St. Johns junior Brad Hodges] threw me a mistake and I dominated it."
St. Johns would get one run back in the fifth inning before Lewellen's solo shot reestablished the team's two-run lead.
Cone threw 4.2 innings for ODA, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits. Colditz, who Matthews calls "Ice," took over in relief and threw 2.1 perfect innings to close out the win.
ODA junior pitcher Josh Cone and senior catcher PJ Fincher stand for the National Anthem before the state title game.
ODA junior Josh Cone got the start in the championship game. Cone threw 4.2 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits.
ODA senior Tyler Colditz (22) tags a St. Johns runner out on a grounder.
ODA senior Tanner Fairchild takes a big swing in the first inning.
ODA senior Tanner Fairchild jogs to first base after being hit by a pitch.
ODA freshman Nolan Naese tosses a ball to first base for an out.
ODA senior PJ Fincher sprints to second base, helmet off, after an errant St. Johns throw to first base.
ODA senior Tyler Colditz slides into home to score the Thunder's first run of the game.
ODA freshman Nolan Naese recorded ODA's first base hit of the game, which resulted in an RBI.
ODA freshman Nolan Naese rests on his knees at second base after a headfirst slide. Naese was called safe.
ODA senior Nolan Lewellen rockets a throw to second base from the outfield.
ODA senior Tyler Colditz slides into third base on an attempted triple. Colditz was called out.
ODA junior Aidan Marino lets out a yell while rounding third base on a home run trot. Marino's home run gave the Thunder a 4-2 lead in the fourth inning.
ODA junior Aidan Marino (2) gets greeted by seniors Ryan Kelly and PJ Fincher at the plate following a Marino home run.
ODA players cheer on their teammates from the top step of the dugout at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers.
ODA senior Tyler Colditz took the mound in relief of junior Josh Cone. Colditz threw 2.1 perfect innings with three strikeouts to close out the game.
ODA senior Tyler Colditz screams after recording a strikeout to end the sixth inning.
ODA senior Nolan Lewellen rips a home run to left field in the sixth inning to give the Thunder a 5-3 lead.
ODA coach Mike Matthews pumps his first following senior Nolan Lewellen's sixth-inning home run.
ODA senior Nolan Lewellen trots around the bases after his sixth-inning home run.
ODA junior Aidan Marino whips a throw to first base.
ODA senior Nolan Lewellen catches a pop fly for the first out of the seventh inning.
ODA senior Logan Tribble catches a fly ball for the second out of the seventh inning.
ODA senior Tyler Colditz throws his hat and glove after recording a strikeout to end the game and win the state title.
ODA senior Tyler Colditz throws his hat and glove after recording a strikeout to end the game and win the state title.
ODA dogpiles senior pitcher Tyler Colditz after he struck out the final St. Johns batter of the game to win the Class 2A state title.
ODA seniors Nolan Lewellen (7) and Tyler Colditz hug after the team's state championship win.
ODA Coach Mike Matthews hoists the team's Class 2A championship trophy.
ODA Coach Mike Matthews high fives every member of the team while holding the state championship trophy.
ODA junior Jackson Malartsik raises the trophy over his head.
ODA mobs the Class 2A state championship trophy.
ODA players and coaches tip their caps to the fans for their support.
The ODA Thunder baseball team is the 2021 Class 2A state champion.
