The Tri-Valley High School club baseball team trailed by three runs heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. They scored two runs without an out, but the rally fell short as Baltic got a 3-2 win on Thursday, May 5th.
The two teams were scoreless for three innings of play. Baltic broke the tie with two runs in the top of the fourth inning. The Bulldogs got a sacrifice fly and a bases loaded walk for a 2-0 lead. They added another run in the top of the fifth on a triple.
Tri-Valley got a lead-off single by Cole Focken to start the bottom of the seventh. Connor Christensen followed by reaching on an error. Barrett Althoff laid down a bunt, but Baltic couldn’t get an out, and Tri-Valley had the bases loaded with no outs. Noah Haynes had a fielder’s choice ground ball scoring Focken. Everett Althoff hit a pop up to second that scored Christensen, but forced Haynes out at second for the first out, but Tri-Valley had cut the lead to 3-2. Baltic was able to the next two batters out leaving the tying run at third base.
Haynes and E. Althoff both had a hit and RBI. Carter Sorenson had a double, and Focken had a single. Riley Carlson pitched 4 1/3 innings allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Kaden Egger pitched 2 2/3 innings and allowed one earned run on three hits with four strikeouts.