The TMP/LaCrosse Monarchs rallied from down seven in the seventh inning and scored the walk-off win in the 11thinning in an 8-7 win Monday over Russell/Victoria in the opening round of the 3A regional state tournament in Hays.
Russell/Victoria scored at least one run in each of the first five innings and starter Jackson Cross held the Monarchs offense in check into the seventh inning but in the inning the TMP offense woke up.
TMP opened the inning with four straight reaching the plate on a hit by pitch and three walks, the last with the bases loaded put TMP on the board at 7-1.
Chet Irvin singled in a run with the bases loaded to make it 7-2. A second hit by pitch, this time with the bases loaded made it 7-3.
After a strikeout TMP was down to their final out but a Nick Helget RBI single made it 7-4 and Nicholas Herrman followed with a bases clearing double to tie the game at 7 in the bottom of the inning.
In extra innings both teams threatened to scored in the eight but came up short. TMP left the bases loaded and then in the bottom of the ninth they had the winning run thrown out at the plate.
Neither team was able to really threatened to score again until the bottom of the 11th when TMP loaded the bases with one out in the inning. Griffin Schumacher drover a bases loaded walk giving TMP the 8-7 walk-off win.
TMP walked 12 times in the game while their pitchers only allied three walks.
Mark Rack got the win in relief for TMP. He turned in three shutout innings allowing just one hit while striking out six.
TMP improves to 11-10 and will take on the top-seed in the regional, Larned Wednesday at TMP Field.