The walk-off that wasn't: How Middlebury roared to first baseball title after ump ruling.

The Middlebury Tigers lost their first high school baseball state championship game before they won it.

Say, what?

Mount Abraham appeared to capture Saturday's Division II state final when a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh inning pushed across the deciding run. But the batter, instead of advancing to touch first base, turned toward his dugout, and out of the baseline, and kicked off celebratory hugs with hard-charging teammates who had scampered onto the field.

After a quick umpires' meeting in the infield, the Mount Abraham batter was ruled out, sending the game to extra innings. On the same play, Mount Abraham runners on first and second raced toward the jubilant scrum and failed to take their next base, which was also a rules violation, according to Jay Nichols, the executive director of the Vermont Principals' Association.

"It gave us all the momentum in the world," Middlebury catcher Carter Paquette said. "We knew the Gods were giving us another chance and we weren’t going to screw it up this time."

And the Tigers roared from there.

Plating three runs in the top of the eighth and then surviving Mount Abraham's nervy rally attempt in the bottom of the frame, No. 8 Middlebury seized an 8-7 victory over the No. 6 Eagles at Centennial Field for the program's break-through championship.

"It’s going to be great to have a Middlebury baseball banner in our gym," Middlebury starting pitcher Tucker Morter said. "I’m just so proud of the battle that we got and the fight that the team put together because we are state champions. I can’t say enough about this team."

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Middlebury opened to a 2-0 margin on Alex Sperry and Ryan Brouillard RBI singles in the first inning. In the fourth, Mount Abraham took the lead on Brody Barnard's game-tying, two-run single down the left field line and a Tigers' error.

Middlebury, though, responded swiftly in the next frame. Paquette laced an RBI triple following Sperry's leadoff single to start the fifth. Tim Whitney then smashed an RBI single for a 4-3 Middlebury advantage.

Tiger comebacks earlier in these playoffs were crucial for Saturday, Morter said.

"Those moments that led up to this really helped us out," he said.

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Then in the seventh, the Eagles rallied, with Tanner Castillo's sharp hit to third turning into an infield single and game-tying RBI. Then came the bases-loaded walk that wasn't, setting the stage for extras and giving Middlebury new life.

Morter's hard grounder slipped through the infield for the go-ahead run and Ethan Sweet banged a two-run single up the middle for a 7-4 lead.

Mount Abraham started its home half of the eighth with back-to-back singles from Tyler White and Barnard. A wild pitch cut the deficit to 7-5 and Cam Castillo's two-out single made it a one-run game. But Middlebury reliever Gabe Velez got Tanner Castillo to fly out to center with runners on second and third to seal the Tigers' first crown.

"This team needed a miracle and we got one," Morter said. "That just goes to show the fight that we have because we got that chance and we capitalized on it."

Morter went 6 ⅔ innings, allowing seven hits, four runs, three earned, while fanning two in the no-decision. Mount Abraham starter Cam Castillo went seven innings and yielded five hits and four runs with four Ks.

Middlebury finishes at 12-8. Mount Abraham wraps at 14-7.

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Contact Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @aabrami5.

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont high school baseball: Middlebury seizes first championship