Brighten Your Day

High School Pitcher Holds Off Celebration To Console His Childhood Friend

June 12, 2018

A high school pitcher struck out his childhood friend to advance his team to the state championship. Instead of celebrating with his teammates, he went to console him.

On Wednesday night, two Minnesota high schools competed in a do-or-die playoff baseball game. The winner would move on to the state championship while the losing team's season would come to an end.

In the final play of the game, pitcher Ty Koehn struck out Jack Kocon sending Mounds View to the state championship. For Totino-Grace, the season was over.

As soon as the strike was called, Koehn made a beeline for Kocon and embraced him, all while his teammates rushed the field, celebrating wildly.

"We are very close friends," Koehn told BMTN. "I knew him from all the way back when we were 13. We were on the same little league team. It was tough when we went to separate schools but we kept in touch."

"I knew the game was going to keep going or it was going to end right there," Koehn added. "I knew I had to say something. Our friendship is more important than just the silly outcome of a game. I had to make sure he knew that before we celebrated."

Watch the heartwarming moment below.