FAIRFIELD – Fifty-six class 3A baseball teams have already had their seasons come to an end. Centerville and seven other squads will battle for Iowa's top honor at the state baseball tournament next week at Principal Park in Des Moines.

Big Red Zach Armington ripped a two-out, two-RBI single which gave Centerville a 14-4 walk-off win in six innings over Mount Pleasant in Fairfield on Wednesday night during the class 3A substate finals.

“The moment came and I pulled through – it was amazing,” said Armington. “I just thought to myself, ‘We’re winning this game, just hit the ball hard and let’s go to state.’

“I was going to hit the first strike I saw. It was the best feeling ever. We’re going to state and we’re going to try and take it,” added Armington.

Twenty years ago, Centerville won it’s only state baseball championship. Thirteen years ago was the last time the Big Reds made a state tournament appearance.

This will make the fourth appearance at the state tournament for Centerville Head Coach Bill Huisman (1986, 88, 95, 2008), who is in his 32nd season as Big Red skipper.

“It always special when you make it to state. This is a nice ball club, they’re very deserving to get there. It’s special and doesn’t happen every year. We’ve had awfully good ball clubs that didn’t make it,” commented Huisman.

Centerville exploded for eight runs in the second inning, scoring seven of the eight runs with two outs. Senior Patrick Harshman belted a two-run home run in the inning before an RBI single by Wallace Carter. Jordan McCoy then ripped a two-RBI hit before Thaler Carter capped off the offensive outburst with a two-run bomb over the left field wall.

Deuces were wild for senior Harshman during the contest. Harshman was 2-for-2 with two runs, two runs batted in, two stolen bases and two walks. Harshman also belted a two-run home run with two outs during inning number two.

Wallace Carter and Thaler Carter added two hits and two runs batted in each during the victory.

Jay Schmidt (7-2) went the distance on the mound for the Big Reds, scattering six hits and striking out five hitters in six innings of work.

Centerville (29-7) drew the number five seed at the tournament and will face off against fourth-seeded Charles City (31-7) on Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Principal Park in Des Moines.

“We’re going up there to win that ball game. I don’t know much about Charles City and they probably don’t know much about us. Our records are very similar. We’ll have our number one pitcher going – Patrick (Harshman), if he’s on, I think he can pitch against any of those teams up there. I feel really good about the first game,” added Huisman.

The winner will advance to face West Delaware/Cedar Rapids Xavier winner on Friday at noon. West Delaware (38-3) is the number one seed while Xavier (16-22) is the eight seed. Other teams in the 3A bracket include Harlan (28-5), Carlisle (28-7), Dallas Center-Grimes (22-7), and Estherville Lincoln Central (23-11).