By EARLWATT

• Daily Leader

Until last Friday, Tim Fitzgerald had

never hit a home run out of the park.

By the end of the state tournament, he

had four, including the game-winning

home run in the state championship

game.

With one out and a runner at second

base in the bottom of the last inning,

Fitzgerald delivered his game-winning

homer.

“I felt free,” the 12-year-old said.

His father and coach, Jacob

Fitzgerald, said he tried to tell him to get

a single.

“I’m thinking, ‘you’re not a home run

hitter, just hit a single and tie this up,’”

Fitzgerald said. “He hit it, and I’m telling

Edwin to tag up. But it kept going and

going. Every home run he hit was

critical. I’m so proud of him.”

Tim passed the credit on to his bat.

“I just started using a new bat,” he

said. “I just used my regular swing with a

new bat.”

Fitzgerald, and his new bat, was

almost unstoppable at the state

tournament, which is intended to be the

best against the best. Fitzgerald had 11

hits with 14 at bats including four home

runs and two doubles.