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By Tyler F. Thompson (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
OZARK, Mo. — The Logan-Rogersville Wildcats (26-8) fell a few innings shy of a dream realized.
On Thursday, after an early 2-0 lead, the Southern Boone County Eagles soared back for the 8-3 win for the Class 4 state championship at U.S. Ballpark in Ozark.
While the loss stings and will for quite some time, there is solace in which to find comfort for Rogersville.
One of those factors being the returning starters, as the team only loses five players.
While Clay Palen, Tanner Petersen, Hunter Lewis, Blythe Blakey, and Tristan James are hard to replace, an experienced returning core gives added promise to 2023.
“The roughest part is always talking to your seniors,” veteran Wildcats skipper Casey Ledl said. “It has been a fantastic group. I can’t remember how many games, but I think we are over 50 wins the past couple years with this senior group. It has been a really special group.”
Ledl addressed the adversity, yet, in typical coach form, was extremely optimistic.
“I don’t know if there is anything you can say,” Ledl said. “A lot of disappoint, but at the same time, our kids have had one heck of a year. It is tough to be disappointed.”
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The Wildcats went 26-8 and authored a 10-1 record at neutral venues.
This makes Ledl’s third trip to the Final Four, and their best finish to date as the team placed third in 2013 and 2014.
Baseball parallels the game of life, which was one point Ledl addressed with his ‘Cats during their postgame huddle.
Said Ledl: “We talk about life lessons all the time. This is one of those moments. In life, they are going to have great times; they are going to have bad times. They have to come back from both.”
Things appeared well for the Wildcats in the early going as they jumped out to the 2-0 lead as Curry Sutherland drove in one run and the team benefitted from an error on the second run.
But a strong sixth inning in which the Eagles plated four runs was too much to overcome.
Blakey went 4 1/3 innings, allowing 4 hits, two earned runs, striking out 6 and walking 5.
Junior Noah Higdon took the loss: 1 2/3 innings, 3 hits and four earned runs allowed.
As for 2023, Sutherland, who has committed to Missouri State University, narrowly missed a home run in the waning seconds of the game.
Sutherland said many things will resonate in the coming weeks, but none more vital than one intangible.
The incoming senior paid homage to his 2021-22 senior teammates.
So, what does Sutherland take from his maroon and white counterparts?
Said Sutherland: “The impressions my senior teammates left on me, I have learned so much from them that I will carry on throughout the rest of my baseball career. It is something that will always be a lasting impact on me.”
