The Big Lake baseball team ended its season Monday with a 7-6 loss to Monticello in the semifinal round of the 5AAA Section Tournament. It was the team’s second loss in the double-elimination tournament.

The Hornets fell behind early when Monticello’s first two batter doubled off starter Jackson Laroche for one run. They loaded the bases in the inning, but Laroche worked out of the jam.

The Magic had two more hits and scored a run in the second for a 2-0 lead.

The score stayed that way until Big Lake pushed across a run in the fourth. They rallied for four more runs in the sixth and another in the top of the seventh for a 6-2 lead.

But Monticello rallied in the final inning. Laroche left in the seventh with no outs and was replaced by Brendan Goedker. He was greeted with three hits and three runs. Jeffery Wanhala followed on the mound, then it was Nehemiah Rousu and Cooper Cusick, but none could get the final out, and the Magic scored the winning run.

At the plate, Cusick had three hits and drove in two runs. Jaxyn Tschritter singled twice and had two RBIs. Owen Wilczek, Austin Schleif  and Blayne Varner each had two hits.

Vs. Saints

The Hornets reached the semifinals with a 4-3 win over St. Francis last Saturday.

Big Lake got on the board with two runs in the second, then went ahead, 3-0 with another run in the fourth.

But the Saints tied the game in the home fourth off pitcher Owen Wilczek.

The Hornets pulled back ahead with a run in the sixth and kept the lead as Wilczek retired the Saints without a run in the sixth and seventh.

Wilczek pitched a complete game, allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits. He walked three and struck out seven.

Cusick again led the hitting attack. He had three hits, including two doubles, and drove in three runs.

Vs. Fridley

Facing elimination last Thursday, the Hornets came through with a 2-1 win in extra innings over Fridley.

The Tigers got a quick run in the top of the first off starter Jackson Laroche.

Big Lake got that run back in the second on an RBI single by Conner Lundquist.  

The game stayed that way until the bottom of the eighth when, after a double steal, Laroche had a walk-off single to drive in the winning run.

Laroche went four innings, allowing one earned run on four hits. He walked three and struck out nine. Goedker pitched the final four innings and got the win. He allowed one hit, walked two and struck out two.

Schleif had two hits. Cusick, Lundquist, Laroche, Trentin Throolin and Isaiah Terlinden each had a hit.

Vs. Princeton

Big Lake lost its opening round playoff game to Princeton, 10-3 lat Tuesday.

The Hornets got all their runs in the second inning on RBIs by Goedker, Schleif and Tschritter.  

The Tigers tied the game with three runs in the second, then added five more in the fourth  off starter Wilczek. They extended their lead with two more runs off Cusick in the fifth, and that was all the scoring in the game.

Wilczek took the loss. He allowed eight runs (three earned) on seven hits, walked three and struck out four.

Cusick and Terlinden each had two hits. Schleif walked twice and drove in a run.

The Hornets finished the season with an 11-10 record and were 6-6 in the Mississippi 8 Conference.