Bulldogs suffer regional heartbreak

PHOTO COURTESY OF BATESVILLE BASEBALL

Batesville huddles up one final time after a heartbreaking 7-6 loss to Silver Creek in the IHSAA Regional Championship.

Batesville needed just three outs to win its first regional crown since 2005 but defending state champion Silver Creek crushed the hearts of the Bulldogs, piecing together a three-run rally in the last inning to win 7-6 in the Class 3A Baseball Regional Championship at Floyd Central.

Silver Creek (24-8) now heads to the Class 3A Semi-State this Saturday and is two wins away from a second-straight state finals appearance.

Batesville had never trailed in the game and had used its offense to thwart multiple Dragon rallies all afternoon until the top of the seventh inning. A hit batsman allowed Silver Creek a leadoff base runner in the frame and what followed was a pair of singles, a walk and sacrifice fly which allowed the three runs to be pushed across. The Bulldogs had a final chance to tie or win the game in the bottom of the seventh but could not push across a lone base runner after Alex Krekeler drew a two-out walk.

Three runs in the bottom of the first inning allowed Batesville an early 3-0 cushion but Silver Creek scored two runs to trim the deficit in the top of the second. The Bulldogs led 5-2 after four innings and used a lone run in the bottom of the sixth to get back up 6-4 going into that last frame. Batesville’s offense had the opportunity to push more runs across during the duration but had two innings that saw a combined five runners stranded on base.

Batesville totaled 12 hits for the day. Senior Chris Lewis, who had went 4-for-4 in the sectional championship game, had another 4-for-4 day which included two runs and an RBI and Carson Schneider went 3-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Dane Dudley hit a double and drove in two runs, Carter Bohman and Josh Borgman each had a base hit and both Jack Grunkemeyer and Eli Loichinger drove in a run on a hit.

Grunkemeyer toed the bump for six full innings and pitched to a pair of batters in the top of the seventh before taking the loss on the mound. The Batesville senior allowed six runs -five earned- on nine hits with seven strikeouts. Loichinger relieved him in the seventh and allowed an earned run on a hit with a walk.

Brady Weitzel and Tommy Holman each had two hits and two RBI to lead Silver Creek’s offense. Junior Preston Burton pitched a complete game and got the win, giving up the six earned runs and 12 hits with six strikeouts and two walks.

Batesville finished the season with a 19-10 overall record which included the program’s first sectional title since 2021. The Bulldogs graduate Grunkemeyer, Loichinger, Bohman, Lewis and Conner Drake from this spring’s roster.