Provemont is no Mudville, which was evident by the joy there Tuesday after Casey batted.

Provemont is better known as Lake Leelanau, and Casey had a last name in the story that unfolded in a Division IV predistrict baseball game featuring favorites St. Mary and Traverse City St. Francis.

Raymond Platts, St. Mary

Casey Drow did not strike out with the game on the line. Instead, with an 0-2 count and two outs in the final inning — the same scenario as set up by Ernest Lawrence Thayer in his much-quoted poem Casey at the Bat published in 1888 — St. Mary’s Casey turned on a fast ball for a walk-off, solo homer to end the game.

St. Mary 8, St. Francis 7.

Unlike the big-swinging and over-confident Casey of 119 years ago, Drow was trying to single to give his teammates a chance to drive him in.

“I was just thinking, there are two outs, I have to get on base. I knew my teammates would bring me home,” he said.

Instead, his teammates welcomed him at home plate in a wild celebration.

The win couldn’t come at a more opportune time, as host St. Mary advances in District play. The Eagles took over the role of “favorite” in the tournament from the Glads, whose season ended with Drow’s blast.

“It was a good fast ball. When you get a pitch coming that hard and you turn on it, it’s going to go. It felt good right off the bat,” said Drow.

The senior, who after graduation will begin a plumbing apprenticeship under his father, started on a tear for first base, but soon slowed to watch the ball sail over the fence.

“I enjoyed it,” said Drow, the son of Michael and Julie Drow of Bingham Township.

The shot offered up the win to St. Mary pitcher Ray Platts, who except for a 5-run fourth inning held St. Francis bats relatively quiet. He yielded just 5 singles and walked only 3.

“I don’t think he had his best stuff, but he battled through it. He hung in there and didn’t give up,” said St. Mary coach Steve Plamondon.

It took solid defense to end the Glads’ fourth inning rally. Left fielder Colin Korson’s throw to home picked off a runner, and first baseman Drow scooped up a bouncing throw to nip a Glad.

But the damage was done, as St. Francis had taken a 7-6 lead it would hold until the final swing of the game.

Drow had a big day at the plate, also singling and doubling. He, Kienan Sutton, Platts and Joe Rexroat each drove in runs on first-inning singles as St. Mary took a 5-2 lead.

Jordon Peplinski drove the ball over the left-center fence for a solo shot in the second inning for a 6-2 lead Korson collected 3 hits for the day, while Kienan Sutton doubled and singled.

St. Mary hammered out 11 hits, and could have had more if not for wide-ranging St. Francis center fielder Brendan Bradfield.

Coach Plamondon could not remember when the Eagles had last beaten St. Francis. The Glads prevailed, 9-6, in the teams’ only other meeting this season.

St. Mary, which hasn’t won a District title since 2004, will take on Leland at 10 a.m. Saturday. Traverse City Christian and Glen Lake will square off in the second game, with the finals to follow with the survivors.

Comets’ coach Hank Burch said the Eagles, who improved to 24-6, will be favored to take the crown.

“St. Mary should be the favorite. But we’ll see. Anything can happen,” he said.

Even after the St. Francis win, Plamondon was not ready to move his squad into the favorite role. He recounted that Glen Lake had beaten St. Mary early in the season.

“I’d say it’s still wide open,” said Plamondon.