HAMLER — Colonel Crawford knew it could be a pitching battle, and in a regional semifinal matchup against Antwerp, it was a struggle to produce base runners all game long.
One game after pitching a no-hitter, Antwerp ace Austin Lichty pitched the Archers into a regional final with a 1-0 win over the Eagles on Thursday afternoon.
Gavin Feichtner did all he could to match Lichty’s intensity but gave up the lone run in the fifth inning. The inning started with a walk to the number nine hitter, Jason Geyer, one of Feichtner’s five walks on the afternoon. The junior hurler got the next two hitters to pop out, but then a wild pitch and a tough at bat put up by Jacob Savina gave the Archers all they needed. The Savina RBI single was the lone run for both teams on the day.
The Eagles, down to their final out, got a single by Dylan Cooke to keep the season and their tournament hopes alive. Brock Ritzhaupt followed by lacing a 2-2 pitch down the right field line that sliced foul by a foot with the tying run on second base. After a Ritzhaupt walk, Lichty got his third strike out of the inning to end the game. Colonel Crawford left only five on base, and only four runners in scoring position all afternoon to go along with five hits.
Antwerp will face Kalida at noon on Saturday for the regional title and a spot in the Final Four.