The Emporia High baseball team came up short in its bid for a State Tournament berth on Tuesday, falling to Hays, 8-4, in Regional play at Hays.
However, coach Mike Strickland said his team fought hard to the end.
“This has been a great group of guys to coach,” Strickland said. “A lot of kids would have given up having such a long season, because this was a tough season. We had a tough year and played good competition all year long in our league, but these guys kept battling.”
It was one big inning that doomed Emporia High on Tuesday, as Hays broke open a scoreless game by plating four runs in the bottom of the third to take a 4-0 lead — an advantage that Hays would never surrender.
The four-run output was highlighted by a three-run home run by Hays’ Taylor Pfannensteil off EHS starter Jacob Loucks, who took the complete-game loss while recording seven strikeouts.
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