What started off as a promising start for NEN’s boys turned into a nightmare as the Bluejays saw their season end Wednesday in the district finals as they fell 12-7 to Green City.
It wasn’t even certain the game would be played, as it was raining in sheets in Parnell, Ravenwood, and Maryville along with hail. But somehow, the weather stayed away from Pattonsburg despite clouds looming in the west.
On the third pitch of the game, Spencer Weir hit a home run nearly 400 feet into the left field wind to start the game and put Northeast up 1-0. They added to their lead in the third, highlighted by doubles from Chet Spire and Spencer Weir. That gave them a 4-0 lead.
But it all came apart in the fourth. Chet Spire started off and pitched solidly the first three innings. Ryan Peavler singled after a slow roller down the third base line to start the 4th, but Dylan Mildfeldt ran down Hunter Chase’s catch in right center and Michael Hall struck out. But then all hell broke loose as Spire started fighting the strike zone. He got to 1-2 against Riley Schoonover, only to lose him to a walk. He got to two strikes on Jeremy McCarty, only to lose him with two close pitches; then, he walked Riley Branstatter on four pitches to force in a run.
Spencer Weir came on to pitch, but then a freak play happened as Nathan Chase hit a slow roller, but then third baseman Chet Spire slipped and fell trying to field it and everybody was safe. Then, Camden Williams’ grand slam and Ryan Peavler’s home run sent Green City on their way, putting them up 8-4.
The Gophers added to their lead in the sixth when Williams hit a two run single and then Peavler hit another home run.
Northeast had a glimmer of hope in the seventh when Williams left the game after running out of pitches and Michael Hall came on in relief. With one out, Chet Spire singled to left and Ethan Adwell walked. Brayden Welch narrowly missed extra bases with a screamer down the left field line that dropped foul, but then the right fielder dropped his fly ball for an error, loading the bases. Spencer Gray was hit, forcing in a run; Maverick Price singled to right to bring in another, and Levi Boulting grounded out to bring in a third run. Spencer Weir was intentionally walked to load the bases and Reed McIntyre was up. Had he reached, the tying run would have come up for Cameron Staples. But on a dropped third strike that got away from the catcher, umpire Corey Gilpin ruled that McIntyre had stepped on home plate trying to swing at it for the third out.
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