HAMLER (Crawford County Now) — Seneca East didn’t meet one of its goals this season — win the Northern 10 Athletic Conference.
The Tigers, however, are now the last league team standing,
Seneca East grabbed a 6-0 lead then held off Marion Local for a 6-4 victory in their Division VI regional semifinal at Patrick Henry High School on Garrold Parratt Field.
The Tigers will take on St. Henry — a 6-5 winner over Patrick Henry — in the regional final back at PHHS on Thursday at 5 p.m. It will be the first appearance for Seneca East in the final since 2012.
The early lead was key according to Seneca East coach Rick Bowerman.
“We got those two runs. Then we got 4 runs the very next inning,” Bowerman said.. “They just kind of fed off each other.”
Brady Bloom drew a one-out walk in the second and Blake Bumb singled. Gunner Polacek then doubled home both on a double to the fence in center field.
While Bloom was in the midst of retiring the first nine Flyers batters he faced, the Tigers produced a 4-spot in the third against Marion Local starter Ethan Osterholt..
Braydon Robinson and Nicholas Parks each walked. With one out, Colton Ehresman singled to drive in Robinson, with Ehresman going to second on the throw home, Bloom singled scoring Parks and Ehresman, before Bumb and Luke Mason singled to plate Bloom.
That would prove to be all that Bloom needed on the mound, though Marion Local (14-14) made it interesting.
“Ethan was a little off and we had a couple misplays in the outfield,” Flyers coach Mitch Hays said. “Those were really costly.”
Luke Everman replaced Osterholt on the hill and scattered six hits while allowing no runs over the final three innings.
Everman’s efforts gave Marion Local a chance to play catchup. In the fourth, Isaac Moeller led off with a walk and came around to score on a pair of throwing errors by Seneca East (20-6).
Osterholt singled, stole second and scored on a two-out single by Derek Knapke.
“We had a lot of confidence going into there, a little bit too much because then we got a little bit lax on defense,” Bowerman said. “We got a little bit lazy and gave up two runs we shouldn’t have given up.”
Marion Local got two more in the sixth. Trey Brookhart singled with one out and moved up on a passed ball. Osterholt singled home Brookhart and he later scored on an error.
“I wasn’t concerned about being down,” Hays said. “I think we’ve been down two out of the three tournament games coming into today. I know we can come back and score runs.”
But Bloom weathered the storm. He issued a one-out walk in the seventh and was on the verge of being relieved. But the senior right-hander retired the last two batters on a fly ball and a pop up to end the game.
“I can’t be more proud of Brady Bloom. He battled out there,” Bowerman said. “In the sixth inning, we were just about ready to take him out. It was batter by batter. He was able to fight through.”
Bowerman said that, at 100 pitches, he asked Bloom how he was. Bloom said his arm was good, but he didn’t have the best control, noting that if he walked a batter, Bowerman should take him out.
With one out, he walked the ninth hitter, Andrew Schmackers. Bowerman took a step to take Bloom out, but Bloom waved him off.
“I told him, ‘That’s exactly what I wanted you to do,’” Bowerman said. “That’s what a competitor does.”
Bloom held the Flyers to just three hits in going the distance. He struck out five and walked four. Two of the four runs he allowed were unearned.
“Too many fly ball outs,” Hays said. “We’ve got to adjust at the plate. I thought we had done that pretty well through the tournament. We did not do a good job of that today.”
To Hays’ point, 11 of Marion Local’s 21 outs were by fly balls.
Braydon Robinson. Bloom, Bumb, and Mason all had two hits to lead the Tigers’ offense. Polacek had the only extra base hit of the game with his double. Eight of the nine Seneca East starters hit safely.
“We forced their pitch count up and were able to see more pitches, get a feel for the pitch,” Bowerman said. “We did a really good job of that.”
Hays says goodbye to five seniors — Osterholt, Kamden Eifert, Brookhart, Wyatt Fleck, and Knapke.
“Credit (the Tigers). Their pitcher kept throwing the ball where we kept flying out,” Hays said. “That’s baseball. You either adjust or you end up losing.”
“When you get to this level, any team can beat another team if things go right for them,” Bowerman said. “Coach (George) Parks said we’re playing with house money. Have fun, no pressure, just play. That’s what we’re going to do.”
Box score
Marion Local 000 202 0 4 3 0
Seneca East 024 000 X 6 12 4
WP: Brady Bloom (5 SO, 4 W)
LP: Ethan Osterholt (0 SO, 3 W)
HR: None.
Triples: None.
Doubles: (SE) Gunner Polacek.
Multiple hits: (ML) Ethan Osterholt; (SE) Braydon Robinson, Brady Bloom, Blake Bumb, Luke Mason.
Records: Marion Local 14-14; Seneca East 20-6.
Next: Marion Local season over; Seneca East vs. St. Henry, Division VI regional final at Patrick Henry, Thursday, 5 p.m.