SMITH CENTER – After blowing out BDS (Neb.) American Legion 17-1 in a three inning run-rule victory, the TMP-Marian Monarchs 18U lost a heartbreaker to the Alma (Neb.) Seniors 4-3 in Sunday’s championship of the Blue Raiders Tournament in Smith Center.
The Monarchs (23-11) erased a 1-0 first inning deficit in their opener against BDS, scoring 11 runs in the top of the second then six in the third. Four Monarchs had two hits each with Mark Rack, Mason Robbins, Ethan Atherton and Nick Herrman all driving in two runs apiece.
Kirk Huser allowed one run on four hits with a strikeouts in the three inning complete-game victory.
In the title game against Alma, the Monarchs led 3-0 after three but gave up two runs in the top of the sixth and two more in the top of the seventh after committing two errors with two outs. Alma scored the tying run on a passed ball and the go-ahead run on a dropped third strike.
The Monarchs were retired in order in the bottom of the inning to end the game.
TMP scored their first run in the first on an error than added two more in the third on a Kirk Huser two-run homer.
Mason Robbins went the distance on the mound and suffered the loss. He allowed four unearned runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and no walks.