Hays Post Sports
MANHATTAN – The TMP-Marian Monarchs earned their fifth second-place finish in program history Friday, as they came up short in the 2-1A state championship game, falling 7-3 to St. Mary’s Colgan in Manhattan.
Ty Schmeidler turned in another solid postseason performance, allowing just three runs on four hits while striking out 11 in 5 2/3 innings. Unfortunately, he would not factor into the decision.
The Monarchs (29-2) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, scoring on a Schmeidler triple.
Following a scoreless second inning, the Panthers (20-__) scored three times in the top of the third inning, taking advantage of a pair of triples and a walk.
Caden Dinkel singled home a run in the bottom of the third to pull the Monarchs within one at 3-2. Then, in the fourth inning, Grant Nehls doubled home a run to tie the game at 3-3.
The score remained tied until the top of the seventh inning, when the Panthers took advantage of a hit-by-pitch, four walks and a double, scoring four times on their way to a 7-3 victory and capping off their second straight state championship.
Schmeidler finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs.