With a spot in the Super Sections on the line in the Section 7B playoffs, consecutive doubles by Scott Lochner and Tommy Wippler helped the Sauk Rapids Cyclones get past Marshall with a 3-2 victory Saturday in Cold Spring, ending the A's season.
Earlier in the section playoffs, the A's knocked off the defending state champion Cyclones, 1-0. This time, Marshall (29-10 overall) could not hold off Sauk Rapids, the No. 2-ranked team in Class B.
"It's a tough pill to swallow because you know you're just as good," said A's manager Sean Culhane. "At the same point, it's a baseball game. One thing happens, and you either win or lose a game in the scenario."
Scott Geiger paced the Cyclones' offense with a triple and an RBI.
Down 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning, Ben Korger took advantage of a Sauk Rapids gaffe in the field to tie the game for the A's. Trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Brandon Wilhelmi brought in a run after getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Leading Marshall's offense was Cody Curry, who went 2-for-4 at the plate. No A's player had an extra-base hit.
"It was a good game," Culhane said. "... I couldn't be more proud of the guys in how they played and finished this season."
In the region finals, the Cyclones fell 8-0 to the host Cold Spring Springers. Ryan Holthaus led Cold Spring's offense, going 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a pair of doubles.
Sauk Rapids100 100 010-3 7 3
Marshall100 000 001-2 7 1
M-Nate Dickhausen, Brandon Wilhelmi (9); SR-Jeff Hille, Scott Geiger (9). WP-Hille. LP-Dickhausen. S-Geiger. 3B: SR-Geiger. 2B: SR-Scott Lochner, Tommy Wippler.