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By Curtis Duncan
Both Hancock and Valley Park came into the Wednesday's Class 2A, District 6 title game knowing that runs would be tough to come by, and that one run just might be the difference in the end. Fortunately for the Hawks of Valley Park, that difference came in the nick of time against the Tigers. Mike Dipiano walked with two out in the bottom of the seventh inning, and Lloyd Ford smacked a long single off the left field fence, scoring Dipiano from first base, giving the Hawks a dramatic 1-0 victory and the District 6 championship at Brentwood Park.
Valley Park (20-1), which also clinched the Great Overland Trails Conference title, advances to the sectional round of the playoffs. Hancock ended the season at 19-3.
Beating Hancock for a second straight district crown left Valley Park coach Brent Gregston with a special feeling that has come along very seldom in his career.
"After 20 years, [the victory] ranks in…the top two or three at least," said Gregston. "It was a well-played ballgame on both teams' parts."
Hancock had a prime chance to get ahead in the third inning with a runner at third and two out. But after the Tigers' top hitter Marshall Tucker drew an intentional walk, disaster struck for Hancock. Tucker got caught in a rundown between Valley Park pitcher Brian Leuthauser and first baseman Ryan Menley, who tagged him out to end the threat.
"[Tucker] took off quick to try and get in a rundown to get the runner home from third," said Gregston said. "Brian's a real smart ballplayer, and instead of committing himself right away, he just held the ball and ran right at
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