A difference in emotions…Troy’s frustration and Tipp’s elation as the winning run touches home in the bottom of the seventh. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
Down 2-1 with three outs to go, Tipp’s Cayden McKinney stroked a two-out single to score the winning run in a typical dramatic Tipp-Troy encounter.
Tipp City, OH – For years former Reds broadcaster Marty Brennaman called games like this one a “titanic struggle”.
But following Tipp junior Cayden McKinney’s game-winning single in the bottom of the seventh Wednesday…all he could call it was “My best hit ever.” And then he added, “Especially when you beat Troy.”
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It was a big day for McKinney and the Red Devils, who entered 13-0, and given the.magnitude of the moment…the hero’s tribute by his teammates in short right field, afterwards…two hits on the day and six innings of 2-run, 8-hit work as the Red Devils’ starting pitcher…why not concede that it was not only McKinney’s best at bat, ever, but his best game ever, as well.
“I was looking for the fastball,” he said, recounting his game-winning hit off Troy reliever Drew Westfall. “But he threw me a curve and I had to adjust.”
His face was literally hurting, his smile was that big. Big as the moment.
McKinney’s game-winning hit and the reprise of other disappointing finishes in this 2025 season was nothing new for Ty Welker’s 4-7 Trojans, whose timely hitting, supportive defense, and an outstanding six-inning start from senior Hayden Frey would have been enough to win on most days.
Frey, a lefthander coming back from Tommy John surgery, delivered his own best moment of the year, limiting Tipp to just 1 run on 3 hits, striking out 8 in six innings worked. And when Welker took him down for reliever Andrew Westfall to get the final three outs, it took some by surprise – that’s how dominant the Trojan lefthander had been.
Troy’s Hayden Fry was exceptional…1 run on 3 hits before being taken out after six innings.
“I don’t know their situation and I don’t want to make the move for them, because I know [Frey] has had some injury history,” said Tipp coach Cam Dickens. “But we expected him to come back out for the seventh.”
“Hayden had had some extra pitches early to get through the first couple of innings,” said Troy coach Ty Welker. “He wasn’t on a pitch count, but he was at 90-something-pitches and we’re not going to hurt a kid.”
Another familiar Brennaman description: It was a “good ol’ good one”, right from the beginning.
Tipp struck first in the bottom of the first with a leadoff single from shortstop Preston Zumwalt, who would later score on an RBI double by…who else…Cayden McKinney…1-0, Tipp.
And indeed, Frey did expend as many as twenty additional pitches in the first couple of innings before he found his stride and became more efficient. facing the minimum number of hitters in each of the third, fourth, and fifth innings before giving up a one-out single to Landon Muhlenkamp in the sixth.
Offensively, Troy answered in the fourth inning on leadoff single by Frey, then a single by Matt Hempker, and another single by Brody Hoke to drive in Frey with the tying run…1-1.
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They added a run in the fifth when Aidan Gordon singled, stole second, stole third, and then scored on an overthrow by Tipp catcher Bryce Eckert…2-1, Troy.
Like Frey, Cayden McKinney’s pitching duties were done after six and one-third innings as Eckert took off the catching gear and went to the mound in the seventh to record the final two outs, setting up the ‘titanic finish’ in the Red Devils’ final three at bats.
McKinney the pitcher…limited Troy to 2 runs on 8 hits through 6.1 innings.
Sophomore Drew Westfall took the ball for Troy and immediately put himself in jeopardy by walking the leadoff hitter. He struck the next hitter out, and a fielder’s choice ground ball erased the leadoff man with two outs and with a runner on first base. . A hit batsman put runners at first and second. A following single loaded ’em, bringing McKinney to the plate. With two strikes, he poked the curveball by Westfall into left center field, driving in the tying and winning runs, setting off an explosion out of the Tipp dugout in celebration.
“Troy’s a great team, although their record doesn’t reflect that at this point in the season,” said Tipp coach Cam Dickens. “We knew it would be a battle from the first pitch and it turned out to be a great game, all the way around.
“Hayden Frey was phenomenal, a great pitcher, and we actually made him throw a bunch of pitches early. But in the middle innings he settled in and became really efficient. We made some loud outs, but we stuck to our process, and once they made the switch in the seventh our energy level really ratcheted up.”
Troy’s Aidan Gordon scores the go-ahead run on a throwing error in the top of the fifth inning.
And his own pitcher….?
“Cayden was great for us and he’s our all-everything guy. He’s been great in moments like this all year, on both sides of the ball.”
Tipp remained unbeaten in front of an eager crowd with 3 runs on 6 hits. Troy lost it with 2 runs on 9 hits. And intrigue awaits as the two team meet again on Friday afternoon at Market Street Field in Troy.
It was the essence of high school baseball, exciting to watch as kids learning to play performed under pressure for the sake of pride in team and community.
No portal and no NIL.
Just the joy of playing baseball.
Cayden McKinney, and that smile.
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