Blair Senior Legion lead-off hitter Brady Brown cracked the last Knight pitch of Saturday's B3 Area Tournament game at Elkhorn Mount Michael.
The Post 154 Bear just couldn't get it to an open patch of outfield grass.
“That ball is another further inch outside, Brady hits it in the gap and we score two runs and win the ballgame on a walk-off,” Blair baseball coach James Bilslend said.
Instead, the Mount Michael outfielder tracked down the fly and the Knights won, 2-1. They moved to 2-0 during the Area tourney, while top-seeded Post 154 dropped to 0-1 after a first-round bye.
“Great game,” Bilslend said. “We didn't do anything wrong, and they just had the timely hit to get the two runs.”
The Bears (27-5 overall) were scheduled to play an elimination game Sunday against Waterloo-Valley before the tournament advanced into its final rounds on Monday and today. Full results will appear in Friday's Washington County Enterprise edition.
After four scoreless innings Saturday, Mount Michael plated two runs with three hits during the top of the fifth frame. Rocco Zimmerman drove in both base runners with a knock into deep right field.
Blair pitcher Lee Chavez-Lara reached base during an at-bat in the bottom half, too, but the Knights' second double play of the game cut the Bears' response short of a run.
During the sixth inning, though, B3's top seed cut its deficit in half with one swing. With two outs, Post 154's Greyson Kay sent a ball beyond the right field fence.
“That's the player that Greyson is,” Bilslend said, complimenting the shortstop's “baseball smarts.” The coach said his player knew an off-speed pitch or curveball was coming and punished it.
“Credit to GK, he never gives up,” Bilslend said. “He just put a great swing on the ball and got it out of the park.”
Nate Wachter singled next, but Mount Michael got out of the inning with a strikeout. After it was unable to add to its 2-1 lead during the top of the seventh inning, the Knights got out of the bottom half, too, despite Elijah Morgan's walk and Conner O'Neil's single.
In defeat, Chavez-Lara spared Blair's bullpen with a complete game on the mound.
“That's huge,” Bilslend said, complimenting his right-hander.
“He was in control the whole way,” the coach continued. “It's one of those things where you just tip your hat.”
The loss was just Post 154's fifth of the season and second in a row after it lost to Fort Calhoun on July 15. Bilslend said his team was ready to play, but may have been affected by its layoff after competing regularly throughout the summer.
“I think what really hurts is that week off that we had,” he explained. “Usually we get a game that Monday or Tuesday leading up to districts and only practice once. This year, the scheduled didn't allow that mid-week game to keep the game-feel going.”
In a return to normal, the Bears were set to play less than 24 hours later Sunday. Their season was on the line against Valley.
POST 154 SENIOR LINE SCORE
Saturday
Elkhorn Mount Michael 2, Blair 1
EMM (19-19-1) 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 — 2
BLAIR (27-5) 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 — 1
