By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Seaman baseball gave itself a chance for a comeback semifinal victory in Wednesday's Class 5A regional tournament at Seaman, but Andover Central came up with just enough big plays to take a 5-4 eight-inning win over the Vikings.
Seaman's players and coaches console each other after Wednesday's heartbreaking 5-4 extra-inning loss to Andover Central. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"We knew we were getting a quality opponent in Andover Central, a team that last year was the No. 1 seed in the West and had a lot of returners on the field for them,'' Seaman coach Trent Oliva said. "So we knew our work was cut out for us and it was one of those games where it just kind of went back and forth and we were kind of grinding and able to get it tied back at three but tip your cap to them.
"They made more plays at the end with two outs and were able to get that done.''
With the game knotted 3-3 after seven innings, No. 14 seed Andover Central took a 5-3 lead in the top of the eighth, scoring on a wild pitch and a run-scoring single from junior Carter Inslee.
But No. 3 seed Seaman responded with a rally of its own in the bottom of the inning, opening the frame with back-to-back doubles from seniors Max Huston and David Dobbs, with Huston scoring on Dobbs' double to cut the Vikings' deficit to 5-4.
Dobbs stole third base on a walk to sophomore Axton Brewer, but Andover Central threw out Dobbs at home on a bunt for the first out of the inning.
After recording a strikeout for the second out, Seaman got a single from senior Bryer Finley to load the bases before Jaguar senior reliever Jace Jefferson was able to end the game on a groundout to shortstop.
Seaman, which graduates eight seniors, ended its season with a solid 18-8 campaign.
"You never like to see the ending and regionals, like we kind of told them when we met, it's so sudden,'' Oliva said. "If you get to the state tournament you can kind of see potentially where your last game is at, but regionals it's so sudden and no one's prepared for it.
"You hate to see the season and the work that we put in come to a disappointing end, but hopefully they'll be better for it in the future.''
Seaman jumped out in front 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning, but Andover Central scored three runs in the top of the third against senior starter Lucas Cross on three hits and a Seaman error.
The score remained 3-2 until Seaman tied the game in the bottom of the fifth on a Huston sacrifice fly.
No. 11 seed Valley Center knocked off No. 6 Salina Central 5-2 in 10 innings in the first semifinal and earned a trip to next week's state tournament in Wichita with a 2-1 win over Andover Central in the regional final.
Valley Center will take a 17-11 record into the state tournament while Andover Central ended its season 12-16.
