By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural went toe-to-toe with the top seed in the Class 6A State Baseball Tournament, but the run came to a close with a 4-1 loss to Free State in the quarterfinal round Thursday.
The Junior Blues advanced to the tournament at Hoglund Stadium on the campus of Kansas University by knocking off the Campus Colts, the second seed in the West Regional, the previous Thursday in a dramatic 1-0 regional final.
Austin Ditch and Washburn Rural baseball dropped a 4-1 decision to top seed Free State in Thursday's Class 6A state tournament opener. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN] budtt
By reaching state with a mark of just 15-11, the Junior Blues were shouldered with the eighth seed, forcing them to play the top-ranked Firebirds in the opening game of the tournament.
The teams dodged raindrops while battling through two scoreless innings. In the third inning, the Junior Blues struck first. They drew three straight walks off Central Missouri commit Blaine Larkin to start the inning. When the Firebirds’ first baseman mishandled a smash off the bat of Drew Moore, the Junior Blues plated the game’s first run.
But with the bases loaded and still no outs, Larkin escaped any further damage. The Junior Blues knew they had missed an opportunity.
The Firebirds immediately tied the score in the bottom of the inning when Wesley Cupps’ triple drove in a run. The top seed took the lead in the fourth inning on an RBI double by Finn Moore.
“We had opportunities early on with runners in scoring position that we’d have liked to get in, but it was still a 1-1 game halfway through,” said Washburn Rural coach Jay Mastin. “If we get a couple of those hits with guys on base we’re playing with the lead for a little bit, but obviously that didn’t happen today.”
The Junior Blues rode junior pitcher Isaac Ansley through four innings. He retired the first seven Free State batters he faced and permitted just three hits in total. But Free State added two more insurance runs in the fifth inning.
Washburn Rural's Nate Selm bats against Free State in Thursday's 4-1 Rural loss in the Class 6A state tournament. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Washburn Rural did not go quietly. The Junior Blues made one more push in the final inning with back-to-back two-out singles by Nate Selm and Drew Moore. But a long flyout to center ensured the Firebirds’ advance to the semifinal round Friday.
“We got the tying run to the plate (in the seventh),” Mastin said. “I think we proved we belonged here as the eighth seed competing like that against the one. I couldn’t ask for anything more from these guys We just needed a few more things to go our way.”
The Junior Blues bid farewell to four seniors but return a large portion of the team next year, including its top three pitchers.
During the regular season, Washburn Rural split with fellow 6A qualifier Manhattan and 5A qualifier Shawnee Heights. Their season included games against the 2024 state champions in 6A (Olathe South), 5A (St. Thomas Aquinas) and 3A (Hayden). Seven of the Junior Blues’ last 11 games came against teams that qualified for state this season.
“I think we played probably the toughest schedule in the state,” Mastin said. “We had to battle all year. We found ourselves in these types of games and these guys never quit. One thing I’ve always preached is playing 21 outs, and we did that in this game. I’m proud of the way they battled, and they got to end their season here (at state) even though we didn’t win this one.”
FREE STATE 4, WASHBURN RURAL 1
Washburn Rural (15-12) 001 000 0 — 1 5 3
Free State (26-2) 001 120 X — 4 6 1
Larkin, Shaw (6), Graves (7) and Zimmerschied. Ansley, Edmiston (5) and Newberry. W — Larkin. L — Ansley. 2B — Washburn Rural: Newberry. Free State: Moore. 3B — Free State: Cupps
