LISBON – The strong way the baseball Braves closed their regular season, you had to feel they had a good post-season game coming.
They did.
Montezuma scored a run in the sixth inning to take a 6-2 lead . . .then saw Lone Tree’s bats come alive for seven runs in the seventh.
The Braves weren’t done, at least not until they posted three runs of their own in their half of the seventh.
The final was 8-5 for Lone Tree in the Braves’ lone post-season game.
The finish of this game was suspended by rain from Saturday, July 5, and completed on Monday, July 7.
Montezuma led 11-7 in hits.
Luke Erselius went three-for-four at the plate, with a double, triple and a run batted in.
Broox Stockman had two hits and two runs batted in.
Nolan Hudnut had two hits.
Isaac Wedgewood hit a double and had an RBI.
Easton Hudnut drove in a run.
Getting one hit each were Gavin Wilcox, Rett Pargeon and Ty Smothers.
Erselius, Stockman and Smothers all stole one base each.
The Braves made four errors.
Easton Hudnut pitched 5.0 innings, allowing 7 hits and 8 runs, 5 of them earned. He walked four, hit two and struck out five.
Erselius pitched 2.0 innings, gave up one hit and no runs. He walked two, hit one and struck out four.
For Lone Tree, Travis Ford had two hits and two runs batted in. Brook Nebergall had two hits and an RBI, as did Emmett Burke.
Lone Tree also stole four bases – but played errorless baseball which was a key to the win.
Jack Patterson threw a seven-inning complete game, allowing 11 hits and 5 runs, all earned. He walked one and struck out five.
Lone Tree moves on with a 9-13 record.
The Braves finished their season at 4-14. They’ll be a young team again next season, but with many positive experiences from this season to build on.