The Blair High School baseball team saved its season Tuesday with a five-run, two-out rally.
The seventh-seeded Bears beat No. 2 Elkhorn North, 9-8, during an NSAA Class B State Championships elimination game at Tal Anderson Field in Omaha. BHS improved to 13-12 overall and will play Gretna East on Wednesday at 4 p.m. Coach John Roan’s squad will need to beat the Griffons twice in one night at Tal Anderson Field to earn a spot in the 3:30 p.m. Friday state title game at Werner Park.
Brady Brown’s two-RBI single during fifth inning gave the Bears a 4-3 lead against the two-time defending state champion Wolves on Tuesday, but the home team on the scoreboard bounced back. North scored five runs during the sixth frame, securing an 8-4 lead with just three outs yet to earn defensively.
The Wolves got two before Blair scored its first two runs of the seventh inning on Nelson Kosch’s double. The Bears then scored their seventh run on a bases-loaded Jakob Gaskill walk before Jacobson earned another free base for an 8-8 tie.
BHS senior catcher Nate Wachter hit next, producing an RBI when Jacobson beat an Elkhorn North infielder to second base to keep the play alive.
Ahead by a run, left-handed pitcher Dylan Swanson stepped in to close out the victory during the bottom of the seventh frame. He struck out the final batter he faced, setting off a celebration on the field and in the stands beyond the road squad's dugout.
Gaskill earned the pitching win with one inning of work and one strikeout. Blaine Rosenbaum had four strikeouts after relieving the Bears’ starter, Lucas Matejka.
Kosch totaled three RBIs in the win, while Wachter and Brown had two apiece.
Elkhorn North had previously bested BHS in both teams' state openers last Saturday. Blair advance into Tuesday's rematch with a win against Plattsmouth on Monday.
Eagles golf at Oakland
The Arlington boys golf season ended Tuesday during the Class C-2 District Tournament at Oakland Golf Club.
Josh Hamre led the Eagles with 88 strokes across 18 holes, finishing 24th overall. Jacob Meehan added 106 swings for coach Landon Walkenhorst’s squad, while Tyler Anthofer had 107.
Nate Erwin and Johnathan Taylor totaled 148 and 163, too, respectively.
For the full story and additional photos from each event, check out Friday’s Washington County Enterprise edition. Up-to-date state tournament coverage will continue to appear online here at enterprisepub.com/sports through the end of the Bears’ run.
