The postseason magic for the Bethlehem Christian Academy baseball team ran out Sunday evening.
The Knights dropped a deciding game three in a rare Sunday afternoon game 8-6 in the GISA Class AAA semifinals. The Knights, who finish the 2015 season 22-12-1, led 5-0 after three innings, but could not hold that lead. The Valiants would rebound to score five runs in the top of the fourth and then took the lead in the top of the fifth. Valwood scored two key insurance runs in the top of the sixth on a two-run homer.
“We battled, but it just didn’t fall our way,” said BCA coach Colby May. “We did the things we need to do in order to win. We had a big inning offensively, our pitchers battled and we continued to scrap until the end. It just didn’t happen for us this time.”
BCA scored one run in the bottom of the sixth inning and had the bases loaded with one out, but the Knights would hit into a double play to end the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, BCA threatened again by putting runners on first and second with one out. With the potential game-winning and series-winning run at the plate, the Knights once again saw a possible rally attempt end with a double play turned by the Valwood defense.
Jacob Fincher earned the start in the third game and held Valwood scoreless in the first three innings. Fincher ran into trouble in the top of the fourth, however. By the time BCA got out of the inning, the Valiants had evened the score.
Valwood turned double plays to end BCA’s inning in the fourth, sixth and seventh. The Valiants also turned a double play in the fifth inning.
“Fincher did a great job,” his coach said. “He got out of the fourth inning when they could have scored more than five runs. I couldn’t ask for a better effort.”
Luke Allen, who was battling an injured arm, came in to pitch the final three innings for the Knights in relief of Fincher. Allen played catcher in the first two games of the series and for the first four innings of game three.
“That shows what type of competitor Luke is,” May said. “He had an arm injury but still wanted to throw and do whatever he could for his team.”
Allen injured his arm during the quarterfinal series and going into the Valwood series, there was even some question of could he do anything besides bat. Allen played the first two games behind the plate and started game three at catcher before taking to the mound.
BCA won game one of the semifinal matchup 10-0 before falling in game two 9-5. The Knights held a 5-1 lead in game two but could not hold the lead.
The Knights’ big inning offensively Sunday came in the bottom of the third. Tanner Still got the inning started with a double past first base.
Brady Stewart and Jacob Walls then walked to load the bases with no outs. Valwood coach Robert Shipman then pulled starter Jake Chandler and brought in Heath Martin.
An RBI single by Fincher brought Still home. Jacob Parker then drove in Stewart with an RBI single. The scoring continued with an RBI single by Allen which scored Walls.
Brad Toxen’s sacrifice fly to center field allowed Fincher to score for a 5-0 lead. Despite scoring five times in the inning, BCA left two runners on base.
Valwood used five pitchers in game three including Chandler, Martin, Tyler Richards (the starter from game one), Mysoe Wiley (the starter in game two) and Joseph Hopper.
“It’s tough right now,” May said. “However, the season we had is nothing to be ashamed of. We have every reason to be proud. With our returning players and the addition of younger players in the program, I think our future is bright.”
The Valiants move on to the state championship series against Deerfield-Windsor later this week. Deerfield-Windsor won a game three against Pinewood to advance to the finals. The finals will be a matchup between two schools from Region 3-AAA.
The GISA Class AA state finals will feature Windsor Academy at Piedmont Academy.
