FORT SCOTT, Kan. — Playing in the ultra-competitive Eastern Kansas League, Blue Valley West baseball had been there before.
And in the late innings of a tight game, the Jaguars came through again Sunday night in the 6A Baseball State Championship game in Fort Scott, Kansas.
Senior Kyle Jones delivered a line drive, game-winning, walk-off base hit in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat Manhattan 4-3.
"I was just trying to stay up the middle and find my pitch," Jones said.
He found it and Blue Valley West celebrated a 23-2 season and its first state title since 2013.
"We've been here before," said Blue Valley West Head Coach Joe Allison. "I don't want to say we're comfortable with that, but we've had each other's back all year. I just felt that our guys would come through again."
The Jaguars beat Shawnee Mission East, 8-2, Saturday at Laroche Baseball Complex after rain had pushed the 6A State Tournament back two days.
Blue Valley West, the No.1 seed, then made short work of Washburn Rural on Sunday in the semi-finals before the dramatic championship Sunday night over Manhattan, which finished the season 21-4.