The Class B No. 9 Blair baseball team fell short of reaching the Eastern Midlands Conference Tournament finals Tuesday.
After an opening round win against Bennington, the Bears lost 5-0 at No. 1 Elkhorn North during the semifinals. As a result, BHS (8-5 overall) was scheduled to play a third-place game Thursday against No. 5 Norris. Full coverage will appear in next Tuesday's Washington County Pilot-Tribune.
On Monday, though, Greyson Kay drew a walk-off walk to start the Bears' EMC Tourney at Vets Field. With Tanner Jacobson, Brady Brown and Shea Wendt already on base during the 10th inning, the BHS infielder earned the free base for a 2-1 win.
“I just told (Kay) to see a strike first,” Bears coach John Roan said. “Their pitcher was all over the place.”
The walk broke a 1-1 tie between Blair and the Badgers. The home team hed scored first with Hunter Travis plating Kay during the fourth frame. Kay reached base on an error and stole second before tagging up and taking third base on a flyout.
Though Bennington tied the game during the sixth inning, BHS pitchers Kaden Sears and Jacobson allowed just three hits through the end of the 10th frame. Jacobson struck out eight Badgers across eight innings, while Sears earned the win in relief with two strikeouts.
Offensively, the Bears had two more hits than their opposition. Jacobson, Dylan Swanson, Kay, Travis and J'Shawn Unger notched one apiece.
Blair managed just three hits a day later at Elkhorn North, though. The top-ranked Wolves earned the 5-0, shutout victory at home.
Brown, Nate Wachter and Sears produced the Bears' hits Tuesday. Jacobson and Wendt drew walks, but did not score.
Wendt also pitched, striking out four batters in defeat. Blaine Rosenbaum threw three innings, too, allowing just two hits across three innings.
After Thursday's game with Norris, Blair will face Bennington again Saturday. The road game starts at 12:30 p.m.
BHS BASEBALL LINE SCORES
Tuesday
No. 1 Elkhorn North 5, No. 9 Blair 0
BHS (8-5) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 3 3
EN (9-4) 1 2 1 1 0 0 X — 5 6 0
Monday
No. 9 Blair 2, Bennington 1, 10 inn.
BEN (6-7) 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 — 1 3 5
BHS (8-4) 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 — 2 5 1
