IDAHO FALLS — When Orem's Robert Fish stepped onto the mound on a chilly, Sunday evening, he did so with mixed emotions.
He left it, with overwhelming pride in the Owlz's 3-0 victory over the Idaho Falls Chukars at Melaleuca Field.
On Friday, the 19-year-old Fish and his fiancee, Amber, gave birth to a baby girl named Aubree.
"I got there Sept. 6 after I threw in Ogden (on Sept. 5)," Fish said. "I was there for the whole day, and then she was born, and I got back here that day she was born.
"I just wanted to get out there today and have a chance to play for a championship. (I'm) very excited, very emotional. Before the game I said a little prayer and said I'm going to do it for her."
How did he respond?
By pitching the game of his life in the biggest game of his life.
Fish had his best outing of the season, striking out a career-high 13 batters and allowed just two hits in eight shutout innings to lead the Orem Owlz to a victory.
The victory completes the two-game sweep of the Chukars in the Pioneer League Divisional Series, and the Owlz are now on their way to the league championship series for the third time in the past four seasons.
"I didn't know what to expect out of him after just having a baby the other day," Owlz manager Tom Kotchman said. "I thought, not only did Fish do a really good job, but I thought (Chris) Rosenbaum was outstanding behind the plate calling the game.
"In Fish's last outing up in Ogden, he got knocked around. ... But hey, he did it when it counted." But judging from his performance Sunday night, it would have been hard to believe what kind of emotional roller coaster he has been on in the past week. Not to mention, he has struggled his past few times out on the mound.
Since throwing six shutout innings against Helena on Aug. 16, Fish had allowed eight earned runs in 18 1/3 innings (3.94 ERA).
"I wasn't trying to strike everybody out," Fish said. "But I just went at them, got ahead and stayed ahead."
The Owlz, who will seek their third league championship since 2004, will play either the Helena Brewers or the Great Falls White Sox for the Pioneer League championship, which will start Wednesday at Orem.