Final four notebook: Senior Schaefer makes spectacular catch, drives in winning run for Bell City baseball team

O'FALLON, Mo. -- Bell City senior Nolan Schaefer walked across the concourse at T.R. Hughes Ballpark with the Class 1 state championship trophy clutched to his chest and jokingly told the Cubs fans that he wasn't letting anybody else touch it.

Senior Quinton Herkenhoff warned him that he "better not drop it."

Schaefer, one of three seniors on the Bell City roster along with Herkenhoff and Jeremy Green but the only one in the lineup, already had proven Wednesday that he was good at holding on to things.

With the game tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning the left fielder sprinted to left-center and made a diving catch for the second out of the inning. He robbed Atlanta's Trace Johnston of an extra-base hit with the play, and the Cubs retired the Hornets in order for the first time in the game.

"I was standing out there, and I was smiling with everybody in the stands cheering for me and everything," Schaefer said. "It felt amazing."

Bell City's Nolan Schaefer dives after a pop-up for an out in the seventh inning of the Class 1 championship game against Atlanta, Wednesday, June 3, 2015, in O Fallon, Missouri. Bell City won 6-3 in extra innings. (Laura Simon)

Bell City's Jesse Smith reacts to a Atlanta runner being called safe at first in the third inning of the Class 1 championship game against, Wednesday, June 3, 2015, in O Fallon, Missouri. Bell City won 6-3 in extra innings. (Laura Simon)

The play came as no surprise to Bell City coach Justin Simpher, who has witnessed the defensive effort and ability of Schaefer on a daily basis.

"It's tremendous. Nolan and defense -- he's out there and we know that he can make those plays," Simpher said. "He can run out there, and when needed to, he can go out there and make a play that needs to be made. In practice, he does that all the time, any ball. He's not taking plays off. He's always jumping and running and diving on balls."

Schaefer, the eight-hole hitter, was the Cubs' first baserunner when he reached on an error in the third, had a hit in the fifth and drove in the winning run in the top of the eighth. With the bases loaded and one out he sent a 2-2 pitch at the third baseman for an RBI groundout to give the Cubs the only lead they needed at 4-3.

"Then he comes back up, and his body language was a lot better," Simpher said of Schaefer following his play in the outfield. "I just knew he was going to come up to the plate and make something happen for us."

Error-free performance

The Cubs made their opponent's pay for most of their mistakes during the final four.

LAURA SIMON ~ lsimon@semissourian.com Bell City's Jesse Smith, left, Nolan Schaefer, center, and Austin Hicks pose for a photo after the Cubs 6-3 win over Atlanta to capture the Class 1 championship, Wednesday, June 3, 2015, in O'Fallon, Missouri.

In their 11-1, run-rule win against Northwest (Hughesville) in Tuesday's state semifinal, the Comets committed seven errors.

Atlanta had three errors in the championship game Wednesday, including a three-base error with two outs in the top of the seventh that allowed Bell City to score the tying run and another in the top of the eighth that gave the Cubs two insurance runs.

Meanwhile Bell City played error-free defense on its way to the title.

"It starts in practice," sophomore Austin Hicks said. "Every day, coach is always preaching, 'No errors, no errors, no errors,' and it really comes to help right here."

The Cubs committed only 19 errors this season. The other Class 1 final four teams entered T.R. Hughes Ballpark with dozens more. Atlanta had 44, Hurley had 51 and Northwest had 74.

"That's key, and we've done that all year," Simpher said. "Like we tell them all the time, you've just got to keep playing the game the same way and do your job. They know their job, and they know they've got to go out there and catch fly balls, make pitches and catch ground balls. They knew what to do, and they've done it all year. And they've worked hard at it. Their hard work's paid off. They don't mess around. They practice that way, and that's why when they go out and play, it ends up that way."

Making history and preparing for the future

Bell City's Bobby Wright reacts after his hit in the eighth inning of the Class 1 championship game against Atlanta, Wednesday, June 3, 2015, in O Fallon, Missouri. Bell City won 6-3 in extra innings. (Laura Simon)

Bell City's first state title in program history came on the heels of its first playoff win and berth to the final four, as well as its first district title in 25 years.

The Cubs posted a 25-3 record on their way to the title just one year after they finished the season below .500.

"I don't know if I can describe it yet," sophomore Bobby Wright said. "It hasn't really hit because I know when it does hit, I'm probably going to tear up a little bit. It's amazing. It's never happened at Bell City, and I'm glad I was a part of it."

Bell City will return 11 of its 14 players from this year's squad, including eight of its starters. Pitchers Austin Hicks, Peyton Maddox and Wright all return after posting a team ERA of 1.49 entering the final four.

"It's going to hurt to lose the leadership we had, but we can be right back here next year, I believe," Hicks said.

"We're just a family," Hicks added later when asked why he believed the team was capable of reaching the final four next season. "We work hard every day, and we have a great leader in coach. And he pushes us to do our very best."