Class 1A state baseball: Charlie Mullen’s big hit sparks Marquette to IHSA championship

PEORIA – The play that truly decided Saturday’s Class 1A baseball state championship game at Dozer Park probably won’t be as often discussed, as clearly recalled or perhaps not even as easily remembered as the significant plays coming after it.

However, for turning the tide in Marquette Academy’s favor, there was just the one and that came from Charlie Mullen.

With the Crusaders’ Carson Zellers and Altamont’s Kade Milleville locked in a one-hit-each, scoreless pitchers’ duel through the first four innings, it was the MA senior Mullen who came through with a looping line drive to center field that allowed hard-running freshman Griffin Dobberstein to slide home with the tie-breaking run.

Although that margin was padded with four gift runs in the next inning – a dropped pop-up with the bases loaded and two outs, plus another off an RBI triple by Mullen – it was the initial run that sparked Marquette to a 6-2 victory over the Indians and its second 1A state championship in five seasons.

Mullen as a sophomore shined in the 2021 postseason to help MA to a third-place trophy. His first hit Saturday allowed Zellers to relax a little more and be as superb as he was on the warm and humid day, striking out five and finishing the day with a four-hitter.

Though Zellers walked three and allowed a two-run single to Eli Miller all in the last of the seventh, the Crusaders (31-2) never seemed in danger of losing that lead after Mullen’s game-changing hit.

“Once we scored, I was more relieved and that helped,” Zellers said. “The other runs allowed me to be even more calm, focused and relaxed, but the first one was big.”

“I had two strikes, and I think I have a history of doing pretty well with two strikes. Two years ago, I did pretty well, too,” Mullen said with a smile. “The pitcher put it right down the middle, so I had to [swing]. It was kinda crazy … I have no idea why I do well in the postseason, but it feels good, giving it all we’ve got.”

[ Photos: Marquette vs Altamont baseball in the Class 1A State championship ]

While Zellers was cruising, facing the minimum through four and helping himself out by snaring bullet line drives back at him in the fourth and fifth, Marquette (31-2) got a runner to third base with two outs in the fourth inning against Milleville but didn’t score.

But in the fifth, Dobberstein led off with a single, and Anthony Couch sacrificed him to second. Mullen followed with his huge hit to center, the throw home bouncing high enough to handcuff the Indians catcher and allow Dobberstein to slide in safely.

“Charlie struggled early in the year in the cold weather, but we knew he could hit,” Marquette coach Todd Hopkins said. “I knew when we got here he’d do something special. He got us going today.”

The icing came in the next inning, when singles by Zellers, Sam Mitre and Keaton Davis loaded the bases with one out. After Dobberstein grounded into a force at home for the second out, Couch hit a sky-high pop-up just behind second base, and it was dropped. All three runners scored, including Dobberstein hustling all the way from first.

Mullen capped the rally, clubbing a booming triple to right-center field to plate Couch.

The Cru added a run in the seventh off Altamont reliever Aden McManaway when Grant Dose walked, Alec Novotney collected his second hit of the day, Zellers sacrificed them over, and Mitre slammed a sacrifice fly to center.

“The best team doesn’t always win a state championship, but we were the best this week and we did.”

—  Todd Hopkins, Marquette baseball coach

“You saw how we won, doing little things. Bunt, bunt, bunt, play good defense and get good pitching,” Hopkins said. “Today we caught a break and were like piranha in bloody water. ... The kids just handled the heat, the pressure in a tough game. We told them before the game to seize the moment, and they did.

“Anytime you get down here it’s sweet. … But this year, it helped that we had a few players that were on the ‘21 team. They learned from last year’s team and came out this year and just shocked us, shocked the state this weekend and all year. They put it together at the right time, and I’m just so proud of them. This is an unbelievable group of guys.

“The best team doesn’t always win a state championship, but we were the best this week, and we did.”