Washington surges late to knock off ADM, 8-4 (w/video)

DES MOINES - Second and third chances, Washington advances.

A late outburst sort of out of the blue saved the third-seeded Demons and allowed them to claim an 8-4 win over Adel-DeSoto-Minburn in a Class 3A state baseball quarterfinal last night at Principal Park. Standard operating prodecure for this bunch, apparently.

“We stick together,” said Washington's Brad Weatherman. “Coach calls us gladiators (because) we never give up. We showed that in the late innings.”

Washington (30-7) scored eight times its final two at-bats to offset a blown opportunity early that many times you don't get again at this tournament. The Demons didn't score in the first inning despite loading the bases with none out.

"Not that we (normally) strand the bases loaded with none out, but we typically have been a team where the second time through the lineup, we really come alive,” said Washington Coach Nathan Miller.

This game, especially. Josh Moore's two-run single and Jake Redlinger's two-run double highlighted a five-run fifth for Washington, knocking out ADM starter Dylan Nelson (5-3). The Demons put it away in the sixth thanks to an RBI double from Colton Covington and two-run double from Anthony Ossman.

“We didn't get it done in the first inning,” Redlinger said. “But the last few innings, when we got through the lineup a couple times, we got ready, got warmed up.”

Washington finished with eight hits, all but one coming in the fifth and sixth. Moore (7-2) got the pitching win in relief of Weatherman, allowing just a pair of unearned runs in 3 2/3 innings.

ADM (23-15) scored twice in the fourth for a 2-0 lead that appeared might just hold up.

“I would prefer it, actually,” Moore said of relieving. “I've been doing it since I was a freshman ... I enjoy it more than starting.”

Washington plays Harlan (20-14) in a 3A semifinal Friday afternoon at 2. This is just the second time it has made it to the state tournament, with 1998 the other date.

Miller led Iowa Mennonite to the 1A title in 2007 before taking over at his alma mater. The Demons are tucked away down in southeast Iowa and are kind of an unknown here.

They're probably a lot more known now.

"We're OK with that," Miller said of a seemingly underdog status. "It was kind of the same thing with that IMS team. We came into (that tournament) and swung it real well, pitched strikes and ended up winning the thing."

Here's a quick video interview with Moore: