HAYS – The TMP/LaCrosse baseball team saw their season come to an Wednesday in a 7-3 loss to Minneapolis in the 3A TMP Regional at Larks Park in Hays.
The Monarchs opened the day with a 4-0 win over the top-seed Larned thanks to an outstanding pitching performance from starter Mark Rack.
Rack recorded his first career shutout allowing just four hits with two strikeouts and two walks over seven innings.
Chet Irvin and Nicholas Herrman each drove in a pair of runs in the win.
Minneapolis got to the regional championship game with a 3-2 walk-off win over Hoisington/Central Plains in the second semifinal.
In the championship game Minneapolis took advantage of a first inning error to take 1-0 lead.
Minneapolis added a run on an error in the second inning and added two more in the bottom of the third inning taking a 4-0 lead. They scored on a double and an error.
Minneapolis starter Spencer Davidson allowed just three hits with 11 strikeouts and three walks in five shutout innings and picked up the win for the Lions.
TMP took advantage of a pair of walks and scored on a passed ball to cut the Minneapolis lead to 4-1 through five and a half innings.
Minneapolis answered with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 7-1 lead into the seventh inning.
The Monarchs attempted to put another late rally, scoring two runs in the top of the seventh and an error and a Chet Irvin RBI double making it 7-3 but a pair of groundouts ended TMP’s season with a 7-3 loss.
Jace Wentling finished 3-for-4 at the plate and suffered the loss on the mound. He allowed seven runs, just one earned, in six innings.
TMP committed five errors in the loss.
Irvin drove in a run with an RBI double and Mark Rack added an RBI single.
Game 1 Aaron Breit interview
Game 1 TMP highlights vs Larned