The bat cracked. The ball sailed. And for a moment, everything stood still.
Then chaos erupted.
As Hunter Allison’s walk-off single dropped into the outfield grass Saturday afternoon, Carrollton players poured out of the dugout, erupting in celebration. After three decades of waiting, the Warriors were finally headed back to the regional tournament — a place no Carrollton baseball team had been since 1994.
“It’s unreal,” Allison said, still catching his breath after being mobbed by teammates. “Earlier in the game, I had a couple of strikeouts. But when I came up again, I just told myself to stay calm, shoot for the opposite field. And I got the pitch I wanted.”
Allison’s hit sealed a 2-1 victory over West Holmes in the Division II district championship at Harrison Central. The game had been tied since the sixth inning, when West Holmes knotted the score at 1-1. The Warriors had taken the initial lead on a dropped third strike that allowed a run to score in the fourth.
But all of that was just buildup. The defining moment came in the bottom of the seventh — two outs, a runner on third, and one of the team’s leaders stepping into the batter’s box.
“I don’t know if there’s a more fitting way to win it,” head coach Brian Connelly said. “Hunter’s been through everything with us. He wanted that moment.”
Saturday’s win was built on more than one big swing. Junior Isaac Husted delivered a complete-game performance on the mound, striking out seven while navigating high-pressure moments with runners on base.
“There were a couple times I had to take a second, breathe, and trust my guys behind me,” Husted said. “You know it’s a big game when even I’m getting emotional out there. But we weren’t letting this one slip.”
Connelly never considered pulling Husted, even when things got tight late.
“Isaac was locked in,” Connelly said. “He had control, command, and most importantly, confidence. He earned that seventh inning.”
Now, with a district title in hand, Carrollton turns its attention to a familiar foe: Indian Creek.
It’s a rematch with layers of history. The teams split their season series this year, and it was Indian Creek that ended Carrollton’s postseason run in 2023. This time, the stakes are even higher — a spot in the regional final on the line.
“We’ve had this one circled,” Allison said. “They got us last year. We’re not letting that happen again.”
Carrollton and Indian Creek will meet Tuesday evening at Harrison Central in the regional semifinal. The Warriors are hoping their story — 31 years in the making — is still just getting started.
“We’ve come too far to stop now,” Husted said. “This team is special.”
