NEW WASHINGTON — Coach Chad Jensen called his Buckeye Central Bucks battle-tested.

His battle-tested team got a win in the most improbable way Tuesday night.

The Bucks used a two-run bunt and a steal of home on a missed suicide squeeze bunt attempt in the bottom of the seventh to come away with a 5-4 win over Hardin Northern in the semifinal game of the Division IV sectional tournament.

With the win, the Bucks (11-17), who entered the tournament as the eighth seed in the Galion district, will face third-seeded South Central in Greenwich on Thursday at 5 p.m.

Hardin Northern fell to 6-19 on the season.

The Bucks were moribund offensively early in the game, managing just two hits off Hardin Northern starter Preston Wykes.

So, BC had to go to its small ball game.

“That’s something we practice,” Jensen said of his team’s ability to move runners. “We practice putting the ball in play and those types of bunts and it’s all about execution. And Manny (Mullins) executed it there and got those two runs in and then we were able to get some runners on in the seventh with nobody out and, luckily, we were able to score there.”

The Bucks cut the lead to two, 4-2, in the bottom of the fourth.

Kaiden Vaughn and Tommy Phillips walked, and Lane Bauer was hit by a pitch to load the bases. With two out, freshman Isaac Hiler drove a single to left, scoring two runs.

The Bucks tied the game in the sixth when Clay Green and Hiler walked to open the inning. Graham Geissman came in to run for Hiler. Mullins laid down a perfect bunt on the third-base side, scoring Green. On the throw to first, Geissman never stopped at third and scored to tie the game.

“We were down 4-0 and, I’ll be honest, we were shocked,” Jensen said. “Credit to their kids. They came to play. They weren’t going to roll over for us and they were really resilient. But a credit to our kids. We were down 4-0 and we could have packed it in, and we didn’t. That was great for our kids.”

In the bottom of the seventh, Vaughn walked and went to second on a balk. Phillips reached on a fielder’s choice that moved Vaughn to third and Bauer was hit by a pitch, loading the bases with no outs.

With Green at the plate, Jensen called another suicide squeeze attempt, but the pitch was so high Green couldn’t reach it. Vaughn came roaring down the line to the plate and slid, but he was called out before the catcher dropped the ball, giving BC the win.

“We’re battle-tested,” Jensen said. “We’ve lost nine games by one run or extra innings. And we’ve won a lot of games by one run, so we’ve told our kids that we’re battle-tested. We told the kids that’s life. When things get tough, you get resilient, and you battle.”

Vaughn started on the hill for BC and worked 3 ⅔ innings, allowing three hits. Alex Kanney finished up for the Bucks, permitting just one hit.

Jensen said that there was no question about using his two best pitchers in the game.

“We feel like we have 1A and 1A,” Jensen said. “We feel like we have two number one pitchers and Kaiden battled but he wasn’t as good as he’s been and he was still good, but he wasn’t as sharp and that’s why we brought in Alex. I kept saying we weren’t going to leave any bullets in the holster.

“Those two kids have been unbelievable all year,” he added. “Kaiden’s ERA is under one and Alex’s is under two. We’re not going to play and leave those two on the bench. We’re a team and those two guys pitched their hearts out.”

Hardin Northern leadoff hitter Owen Wetherill had three of his team’s four hits, a triple, and two singles. He also scored twice and drove in another.

The Polar Bears used three pitchers in the game. Wykes, Zach Spearman, and Landon Wetherill. They permitted six hits while striking out one and walking six.

“These guys are team guys,” Jensen said. “There isn’t anybody on this team that is selfish. Every single one of these guys are team guys. And these guys are something else. Kaiden knew he didn’t have his best stuff and he went and played second base and he played at a high level like he always does. And he did a great job at the plate, being patient, like he always does. And I don’t expect any less.”

Box score

Hardin Northern     102 100 0        4       4       2

Buckeye Central      000 202 1        5       6       3

WP: Alex Kanney (5 SO, 0 W)

LP: Zach Spearman (0 SO, 4 W)

HR: None.

Triples: (HN) Owen Wetherill, Zach Spearman.

Doubles: None.

Multiple hits: (HN) Owen Wetherill 3; (BC) Tommy Phillips.

Records: Hardin Northern 6-19; Buckeye Central 11-17, 8-8 N10.

Next: Buckeye Central at South Central, Division IV sectional final, Thursday.