By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden's baseball team didn't have the kind of regular season it's been accustomed to, but the Wildcats are back in a familiar place, headed to the Class 4A state tournament after a strong regional performance Tuesday at the Bettis Family Sports Complex.
Coming off a rare sub-.500 record in the regular season, the Wildcats turned in a solid performance Tuesday, taking a 14-2 five-inning win over Holton in the semifinals before riding a 3-hit pitching performance from senior Erick Teske to a 4-0 win over Louisburg in the championship game.
With the win over Louisburg the Wildcats advanced to the 4A state tournament next week (May 27-28) at Salina's Dean Evans Stadium.
Hayden, now 10-12, took control of the championship game with three runs in the top of the first and added an insurance run in the fourth while Teske limited Louisburg to three singles while striking out six and issuing just two walks.
Senior Ryan Graves went 3 for 4 with a run scored while senior Skyler Specht went 2 for 4 with a run batted in and a run scored.
Junior Gavin Arnold, senior Pete Harrod and senior Jake Gales also knocked in runs for the Wildcats.
Holton took a 2-1 lead over Hayden in the bottom of the first in the semifinal, but the Wildcats tied the game in the top of the second and scored three runs in the third, five in the fourth and four runs in the top of the fifth to take the 12-run win.
Senior Skyler Specht limited Holton to three hits and he also contributed a triple for the Wildcats.
Pete Harrod went 2 for 3 with four RBI and a pair of doubles while Teske went 2 for 3 with three RBI and Jake Gales went 2 for 4 with three RBI.
CLASS 4A REGIONAL BASEBALL
Championship
HAYDEN 4, LOUISBURG 0
Hayden (10-12) 300 100 0 -- 4 9 0
Louisburg (11-11) 000 000 0 -- 0 3 0
Teske and Rose. Lohse, Rockers (2) and Madison. W -- Teske. LP -- Lohse.
Semifinal
HAYDEN 14, HOLTON 2
Hayden 113 54 -- 14 10 3
Holton 200 00 -- 2 3 3
Specht, Bullock (5) and Rose. Mulroy, Dieckman (5), Jamison (5), Collins (6) and Bohnenkemper. W -- Specht. L -- Mulroy. 2B -- Hayden: Harrod 2. 3B -- Hayden: Specht.
