The Chase County baseball team made all the little mistakes Friday in the first round of the 2-1A State Baseball Championships in Emporia.
And, this time, the Bulldogs’ offense didn’t show up to save them.
St. Marys mustered just three hits but still was able to score five runs, holding on for a 5-2 victory over the second-seeded Bulldogs.
Chase County ends its season with a 16-3 record.
“All year, we’ve hit well enough to make up for our mistakes,” Chase County senior Trevor Johnson said. “Tonight, we didn’t.”
Everything still might have been different had one play gone the Bulldogs’ way in the first.
Chase County starter Shawn Talkington retired the first three hitters he faced, and the Bulldogs came up in the bottom of the frame with a chance to put the pressure on.
After a strikeout, Cole Starkey singled to right field, and Brian Palermo hit a deep liner to center.
“I thought it was in the gap,” Palermo said. “I thought I at least had a double.”
Instead, St. Marys’ Adam VanVelde dived face-first for a full-extension catch, robbing Palermo of a hit.
A groundout to the pitcher ended the inning.
“If that gets away, he probably circles the bases,” Chase County coach Jay Talkington said, “and that changes the whole complexion of the game.”
“It was a great catch,” Palermo said. “There’s not much else you can do. It definitely lifted them up.”
After holding St. Marys scoreless in the first three innings, Chase County became its own worst enemy in the fourth.
Though he had allowed just one hit, Shawn Talkington walked Kellen Gil and Garrett Jacobsen to start the inning.
Gil moved to second on a stolen base, then went to third and home on separate wild pitches.
Jacobsen later scored on an RBI single from Taylor Holz to make it 2-0.
“We just made the wrong moves at the wrong times,” Palermo said.
It continued in the fifth.
Cameron Covey led off with a walk, then stole second and moved to third on a bunt.
VandeVelde followed with a chopper to second, and Palermo fired home to try to get the lead runner.
Though the throw was in time, Bulldog catcher Nathan Phipps couldn’t hold on to the ball after Covey slid into him.
VandeVelde later scored on a successful double steal to make it 4-0, and Jacobsen circled the bases by way of intentional walk, steal, balk and wild pitch for the fifth St. Marys run.
In the fifth, the Bears scored all three of their runs without the benefit of a hit.
“We made no big, glaring errors,” coach Talkington said, “but when they got runners on, we made mistakes to get them around.”
Chase County even was unlucky with its surroundings when trying to make a comeback in the seventh.
Palermo led off with a single, and Adam Spain reached safely after an error to put two runners on with none out.
Shawn Talkington followed with a towering drive to left field — one that was caught a step in front of the warning track by Covey.
This year’s State Tournament was moved to the spacious Glennen Field at Trusler Sports Complex because of renovations still taking place at Soden’s Grove.
“Anywhere else, that ball’s long gone,” coach Talkington said. “That changes things. At Soden’s, that’s in the cedar trees. That’s just our history here.”
With two outs, Johnny Lang and Brad Talkington both contributed RBI singles to cut the lead to 5-2.
The rally — and season — ended with a groundout to short.
Shawn Talkington picked up the loss despite allowing just two hits in his six innings pitched while striking out seven.
The freshman surrendered four walks — with each of those runners coming around to score.
Brad Talkington allowed a hit but no runs in his inning of relief.
“When you give up three hits, you shouldn’t get beat,” coach Jay Talkington said. “I’m disappointed in the way we played defense.”
Ethan DeVader kept the high-powered Chase County offense in check, allowing just five hits and striking out six in his complete-game performance.
For the second straight year, Chase County had its season end against St. Marys. Last year, the Bears beat the Bulldogs, 7-3, in the State quarterfinals.
It was the final game for four Chase County seniors: Johnson, Spain, Brad Talkington and Kyle Hannigan.
“It just kills you,” Johnson said, “to go out in the first round like this again.”
2-1A State Baseball Tournament
Friday at Emporia
St. Marys 5, Chase County 2
SM 000 230 0 — 5 3 2
CC 000 000 2 — 2 5 0
W — Ethan DeVader. L — Shawn Talkington.
2B — SM: Adam Michels. SB — SM: Adam VandeVelde, Kellen Gil, Garrett Jacobsen 2, Derek Zemek, Cameron Covey.
Chase County highlights — Johhny Lang 1-for-3, RBI; Brad Talkington 1-for-3, RBI; Brian Palermo 1-for-3, run; Shawn Talkington 6 IP, 2H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 7K.