Falcons rally in seventh falls short in D-II sectional final loss to Warriors
May 16—BELOIT — Jefferson Area's nifty seventh-inning rally left the Falcons two runs short and pondering what might have been in the finals of the Division II baseball sectional Wednesday.
Facing No. 3 seed West Branch (20-6) on its home field, Jefferson trailed 6-0 entering the final frame. But after a two-run single by Giovanni Matticola, sandwiched by RBI hits from Devin Salinas and Toby Dickson, the Falcons had the tying run at the plate.
A strikeout ended the threat, though, sending the Warriors to a district semifinal for the second year in a row. West Branch will play Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin (11-9) at 5 p.m. Monday in Louisville.
"I wish we could have hung on a couple [runs] on them in the early innings," Jefferson coach Scott Barber said. "We would have been really right where we needed to be in that last inning."
The Falcons (7-13), who outhit West Branch 6-4, had their chances against Walsh University commit Beau Alazaus but couldn't get the key hit.
"He's schooled in doing what he needs to do," Barber said of Alazaus. "He's a college pitcher right now. He knows what his ball is going to do every time and he commands it. He's hitting that spot instead of half the plate."
Jefferson had a runner in scoring position in the second and fifth innings, and its leadoff batter reached in the fourth. But Alazaus responded with a seven-strikeout performance.
He threw 73 pitches in six innings — all but 19 of them for strikes — and got three sterling defensive plays from his left fielder, shortstop and second baseman in the fourth after Dickson led off by reaching on a throwing error.
Jefferson's seventh-inning rally came against a Warrior reliever.
"Everybody knows when Beau is on the mound it gives us a good chance to win," said West Branch coach Rick Mulinix. "He throws strikes, doesn't walk anybody [and competes].
"We just didn't swing the bats well enough to give him more runs."
Salinas and starting pitcher Luke Lambert had two hits apiece for the Falcons.
Lambert also kept West Branch's offense in check, despite walking seven.
The Warriors broke through during their second time through the lineup, taking advantage of three hits and two walks to score four runs in the bottom of the third.
"That's team baseball that they play," Barber said of the Warriors. "They get a guy on third, they're hitting him in. It might not be a base hit, it might be a ground ball to the second baseman. They're getting it done."
Alazaus had a two-run double in the rally. Hunter Shields also had an RBI hit and added a second one in the fifth.
Mulinix said West Branch has been hitting well as a team of late, but went just 4-for-20 officially on Wednesday.
"It's kind of frustrating with this group because we know we can swing the bats," he said. "We've seen it at times, but then we just go through a stage like this. A week ago we were swinging it but the last three games we haven't been able to repeat that.
"But, we got a win and that's the most important thing."
The Falcons turned a couple of alert defensive plays of their own. Catcher Tate Hudson threw out a runner attempting to steal third base in the second, and Matticola, from centerfield, threw a BB to Hudson for a catch-throw-tag double play in the third inning.
"Just proud of the kids; the seniors did a good job," said Barber. "We've got a very young team so it was a great experience playing against a high quality team and a great pitcher."
