Broncos Season Ends in Extra Inning Marathon
After dropping both ends of doubleheader to arch-rival TMP-Marian/LaCrosse last Thursday, the Russell-Victoria Bronco Baseball team knew it still had the chance to exact the ultimate revenge.
The two teams squared off in the first round of the Class 3A Regional Monday evening with the loser going home. For a long time it looked like TMP-Marian/LaCrosse would be that team. With Russell-Victoria leading 7-0 going into the bottom of the seventh inning, the Broncos needed three outs to advance to a semifinal meeting on Wednesday with Larned, which defeated Beloit Monday afternoon 13-3.
However, for the second time in five days, the Monarchs came off the mat, tied the game to force extra innings and then prevailed in the 11th inning 8-7 in a game moved to the turf field of Hays High School due to wet grounds at TMP.
The Monarchs trailed 7-4 with two out in the bottom of the seventh before a bases-clearing double knotted the game. TMP had the winning run at third base before the Broncos ended the threat and forced extra frames. TMP had the bases loaded in the eighth inning and couldn't score and in the ninth inning, Bronco right fielder Jackson Cross threw out a runner at the plate from 280 feet away to keep the game tied and send it to the 10th inning.
However, Russell-Victoria which built its lead up after five innings never scored again after the fifth frame and couldn't get anything going offensively except in the top of the eighth inning when Andrew Roth was cut down at the plate trying to score.
In the bottom of the 11th, the Monarchs had the bases loaded and won the game on a walk, ending the season for Russell-Victoria (8-13).
TMP-Marian/LaCrosse will play Larned in one semifinal on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Lincoln-Sylvan-Lucas Leopards also saw their season come to an end Monday with aan 8-1 loss at Minneapolis. The Leopards complete their season with a record of 5-12 while Minneapolis will face Hoisington-Central Plains, a 6-2 upset winner over Ellsworth on Monday. The semifinal winners meet later Wednesday for the Regional Championship and a berth in the Class 3A State tournament.