West County Baseball Falls Just Short In State Quarters, Loses To Saxony 7-6

May 22, 2019 @ 9:57pm

(STE. GENEVIEVE) – The season came to an end Wednesday night for the West County Bulldogs baseball team after a heartbreaking 7-6 defeat in the state quarterfinals to the Saxony Lutheran Crusaders that was heard on KREI.

Saxony captured an early 2-0 lead at Yanks Field in Ste. Genevieve in the 1st inning but West County fought right back in the top of the 2nd to tie the contest thanks to junior Dakota Dowd.

The Bulldogs would go up 4-2 heading into the bottom of the 4th, but a three run homer for the Crusaders would give Saxony the lead back, 5-4. An insurance run in the bottom of the 6th increased the lead to 6-4.

But West County never gave up, and staged a comeback to tie the game with their season on the line in the top of the 7th.

But it would not be enough, as three straight reached in the bottom of the 7th, and Saxony’s junior Mason Lewis walked it off with a single.

It was the second straight game that the Crusaders won with a walkoff, as they did the same in sectionals on Monday against Malden.

West County head coach John Simily was proud of his team after the game.

The Bulldogs end their season with a 21-7 record while Saxony Lutheran improves to 22-3 and will play next Monday in the state semifinals against Fatima.