News Photo by Jonny Zawacki The Onaway baseball team poses with their district championship trophy after a wild comeback victory to defeat Rogers City on a walkoff RBI double from DJ Fenstermaker in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Cardinals advance to play Maple City Glen Lake in a regional semifinal game on Saturday at noon in Rogers City.

HILLMAN — Many kids dream about the opportunity to come up to the plate with a chance to drive in the winning run in a championship game. On Saturday, Onaway’s D.J. Fenstermaker had that opportunity and capitalized as he blasted a one out double off the center field fence that scored pinch runner Cody Neelis from first base to help the Cardinals come from behind to beat Rogers City in walk off fashion in a district championship game in Hillman.

“I just went up to the plate with the mindset that I needed to put the ball in play and as soon as the ball left my bat I knew if it got down we were going to win and my heart was racing,” Fenstermaker said.

After falling behind 8-4 heading to the bottom of the sixth inning, Rogers City looked like it was in complete control as they had displayed all season long that they play sound defensivley, throw strikes and do the little things that got them to that point.

The Hurons were just six outs away from continuing their season and hosting a regional game, but Onaway put together a remarkable inning.

The Cardinals started the inning with back-to-back hits as Keaton Brewer singled and advance to third on a double from Fenstermaker. With runners at second and third with no outs, Rogers City third baseman Kaleb Budnik made a heads up play to field a ground ball at third, fake a throw and run down Brewer after he broke for the plate. It looked as if that may have deflated the Cardinals chances, but Onaway was determined to do everything it could to make it a game.

Nick Byrne walked with two outs to load the bases and Huron coach Matt Bredow went to the bullpen as starter Alex Altman was relieved by game one winning Jacob Hilla.

Hilla walked the first batter he faced to force in a run and a batter later Gavin Fenstermaker singled home a run to keep the bases loaded with two away as the Cardinals trailed 8-6.

The next batter, Lucas Tollini ripped a ground ball down the third base line that Budnik dove and made a play on, but threw wide of first base which allowed both Byrne and Trevor Wregglesworth to come around and score, but the umpire had signaled foul ball.

After Tollini was sent back to the box, he hit a ground ball deep in the hole at short where Caleb Karsten made an incredible effort to get to the ball, but threw wide of first as the ball got away from Deuce Tulgestka at first as Byrne and Wregglesworth came around to score, but the Hurons were able to throw out the potential go ahead run at the plate to end the inning as both teams went to the seventh tied at eight.

“It was an intense game. We got down early and I just went up to the boys and said we have been in this position before and just told them that anything is possible,” Onaway coach Mike Crull said. “We kept doing the Onaway thing. We kept being aggressive, pounding the ball and good things happened.”

Trevor Wregglesworth struck out the first batter of the inning and was relieved by Neelis who got two of the next three batters out to keep the game tied.

The Hurons handed the ball to Matt Altman in the home half of the seventh, but Bradon Moyer fought off a pitch with two strikes and blooped a single down the right field line to lead off the inning. Moyer was lifted for Neelis who came on to pinch run.

A batter later D.J. Fenstermaker blasted the game winning hit deep to center field which sent Neelis around the bases and into home safely as the Cardinals capped off an improbable comeback to capture the district title and stun the Hurons.

“It was just a phenomenal job by the guys today, they never got down on themselves and they knew they could do it and they pulled it off,” Crull said.

Onaway got to the championship game by shutting out Hillman 5-0 in the second game of the day and Rogers City came from behind to defeat Johannesburg-Lewiston 4-1 to open the day.

The Cardinals advance to a regional semifinal game on Saturday in Rogers City where they will take on Maple City Glen Lake at noon.

“We’re excited the the regional game will be local. We’re going to get back to work and certainly savor this moment here, but we’ll get back to work,” Crull said. “The kids knew all season long what was on the line and knew if they got past districts they could definitely make a run in the regional tournament. We’ve been looking forward to this opportunity all season long.”