UPLAND, Ind. - Grace's baseball team battled back and forth on the opening day of the Crossroads League tournament. The postseason run, however, was cut short in the single-elimination play-in game with a heartbreaking 8-7 loss to Mount Vernon on Wednesday afternoon.
The Lancers (18-31, 12-24 CL) entered the tournament, hosted by Taylor, as the No. 8 seed, facing off against the No. 5 seeded Cougars. Both teams held a three-run lead at one point in the game before the Cougars prevailed with a walk-off run in the bottom of the ninth.
MVNU put together some early offense to score one run in the bottom half of the first inning. Two innings later, the Cougars increased the lead with a two-run home run to make the score 3-0 after three innings of play.
The bats came alive in the fourth. The Lancers sent seven batters to the plate as part of the three run inning to tie the game at three apiece.
Sean Gannon opened the inning with a single before Cayden Calloway sent a ball to the gap for a triple to plate the first run. Mason Meyer followed with an RBI single to right to get within one. Maximo De Leon capped off the scoring with an RBI double to right, leveling the score at three.
The deadlock, however, was short-lived as the Cougars used another long ball to edge ahead in the bottom half of the inning.
Both teams had two baserunners reach in the fifth, but a double play in each half inning ended any rally before it could get started.
The Lancers took advantage of an MVNU error to score the go-ahead run in the seventh inning. Grace loaded the bases with a hit, an error and a walk to start the rally. Gannon fouled out to right field, but it was deep enough for a sacrifice fly to tie the game at four. Ryan Stark provided a key moment with an RBI single to bring home Gavin Kelley from second base.
Grace added two insurance runs in the eighth, giving the visitors a three-run advantage heading into the late innings. John Joyce launched a deep drive to left to add the first run. The second run was a result of good situational baseball and a little bit of help. De Leon worked a walk and moved into scoring position after a sac bunt and a groundout. Grant Hartley hit a towering fly ball that the left fielder lost in the sun, dropping in for an RBI double.
The three-run lead was erased after two home runs in the home half of the inning. A two-run blast and a solo shot drew the game even once more to set up a showdown in the final inning.
The Lancers had a baserunner in the inning, but the side was retired.
With two outs in the ninth and the game seemingly headed for extra innings, the Cougars extended the inning with a walk. The next batter hit a single with the winning run at first coming all the way around to score, sliding in just under the tag from the relay throw to the plate.
Grace clubbed 13 hits with four extra-base hits on the day. Gannon went 3 for 4 with an RBI. Hartley finished 2 for 4 with a double, an RBI and a walk.
Etchison finished the day after 7.0 innings and a no decision on the mound. He fanned six batters before giving way to the bullpen.
The conclusion of the season marks the end of a career for two Lancers; Austin Carr and Patrick Danforth.
The 2024 campaign featured a number of individual accomplishments with four records being broken, three career and one single season. Austin Carr etched his name atop the leaderboard for career RBIs (130). Maximo De Leon added 24 more stolen bases in 2024, making him the all-time leader with 53. Evan Etchison fanned 68 batters this season to set the career mark for strikeouts (243). Grant Hartley clubbed a single-season record 12 home runs.