Tribe goes down fighting

Staff photo by Mike Buhler Kennett's Thomas Stillman (right) slides safely into home plate as Notre Dame catcher Mark Hagedon awaits the throw during Wednesday's Class 3, District 1 Tournament championship game at Dexter. [Click to enlarge]

DEXTER, Mo. -- The Kennett Indians may not have won a district title, but they didn't go down without a fight.

Trailing by three runs in the top of the seventh inning, the Tribe eventually brought the tying run to the plate before falling 4-1 to the Notre Dame Bulldogs in the championship game of the Class 3, District 1 Tournament on Wednesday.

"That's the one thing that I'm most proud of this year," Kennett coach Aaron New said. "We have learned to be competitive, competing at a high level even when things don't go our way. I'm extremely proud of all of our kids."

Staff photo by Mike Buhler Kennett's Andy Lack delivers a pitch against Notre Dame during Wednesday's Class 3, District 1 Tournament championship game at Dexter. [Click to enlarge]

Fielding a starting lineup consisting of no seniors and six underclassmen, Kennett (13-10) battled from start to finish Wednesday against the state's No. 1 team in Class 3.

Pitchers Andy Lack and Trey Bazzell allowed just six hits and no earned runs, but the Bulldogs (25-1) capitalized on a pair of third-inning errors to seize the advantage.

Aaron Tomaszewski singled and advanced to second on a bunt before Ryan Bass reached on an error. After pitcher Colton Young walked to load the bases, Jake Pewitt lofted a sacrifice fly to score Tomaszewski and put Notre Dame up 1-0.

The next batter, Dylan Drury, reached on a misplayed grounder that should have been the third out of the inning, allowing Bass to score and make it 2-0. Austin Greer then capped the rally with a single to left to plate Young.

"There were a couple of plays we probably should have made, but we didn't turn those into 10-run innings like we did early in the year," said New. "We still had a chance to win in the end."

Indeed, the Tribe answered back in the top of the fourth inning, as Stillman led off with a single and advanced on an error before scoring on Bazzell's sacrifice fly.

The 'Dogs added another run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Pewitt led off the inning with a double and later scored on Greer's sac fly.

Kennett made one final rally in the top of the seventh, as Bazzell and Alex Bohnert reached on errors to bring the tying run to the plate. However, Young rebounded by striking out the last two batters to end the game.

Young finished the game with nine strikeouts -- five in the last two innings -- while allowing just three hits and no earned runs.

"He didn't have his best stuff today, but you wouldn't know it by his line," Notre Dame coach Jeff Graviett said. "He didn't have that real good fastball. They put ball in play and he had to pitch around errors. He really battled today and got it done on the mound."

Lack took the loss, allowing three runs, all unearned, and five hits in 3 1/3 innings. Bazzell finished the game by tossing 2 1/3 innings of relief, allowing just one hit and an unearned run while striking out three.

"Every pitcher has pitched well all year long," New said. "(Assistant) coach (Ronnie) Lewallen and our pitching staff have really carried us most of the year. I'm proud of all of them."

Tomaszewski and Young each had two hits for Notre Dame, while Lack, Stillman and Logan Dollins each had hits for the Indians.

Kennett also said goodbye Wednesday to seniors Austin Jackson and Brian Hardwick, who played their last high school games.

"We're losing Austin Jackson and Brian Hardwick, two outstanding young men we'll miss in our program," said New. "Hopefully next year will be a little different and we'll win the district next year."

Notes: Lack led the Tribe with a 2.76 earned-run average, walking just eight batters in 33 innings pitched. Kennett as a team finished with an ERA of an even 3.00. ... Gage Blue led the team in batting average with an average of .383, while Dollins was second at .344. Also hitting over .300 were Clayton Gibbons (.316) and Lack (.308). ... Blue drove in 16 runs, while Dollins had 14 RBIs and Bazzell added 13. Bazzell also led the team with six doubles. ... The Tribe hit .286 as a team this spring and had a slugging percentage of .378.

The Southeast Missourian provided some of the information for this story.