ONE LAST TIME: Braves Win On Senior Night, 7-4

Click the thumbnails to see photos and videos, and for post-game interviews with Mason LaChance, Blake Krouth, and Braves Manager Lucas LaCosse.

GLADSTONE---The Gladstone High Schoool baseball team played its final home game Monday night, honoring its seven seniors and then hanging on for a 7-4 win over the Bark River-Harris Broncos under the lights at Don Olsen Field.

The Braves built a 7-0 lead but senior pitcher Mason LaChance, who threw a two-hit shutout for six innings, labored in the seventh inning before getting the final two outs to earn the complete game.

LaChance got the rare chance to finish what he started after Braves Manager Lucas LaCosse got anothet pitcher up in the bullpen and made a visit to LaChance on the mound after the Broncos had roughed him up with four runs on four base hits.

"I really wanted this game for Mason," LaCosse said. "I wanted him to finish. I threw Ty (Darmogray) down there in the bullpen, and I told Brad (Landis) our trainer, that, you know, he's (LaChance) thr0wing a little better right now. I think I got the last bit of energy out of him hy doing that. I looked at Mason and I said, 'hey, it's your game. But you've got ten pitches. One more hit, you're done."

LaChance only needed four as he got Aidan Johnson and Max Hall to both ground out to third base to end the BR-H rally with a runner on third and four runs in.

"I think I was just getting lazy and wasn't throwing as hard as I could," LaChance said. "I saw Tyler warming up in the bullpen so I felt I needed to kick this in gear. Let's get this. I told hm (LaCosse) that I want this game. It was my last home game, so I really wanted it."

Before LaChance gave up the four late runs, he handcuffed the Broncos on just two base hits. He did walk five batters and hit one, but got out of trouble each time.

Finally, in the seventh inning, BR-H showed why it has won 18 of 23 games this season. Zach Robinette and Carter Zawacki had back-to-back RBI hits, then Johnnie Robinette smoked a two-run double up the gap to cut it to 7-4. But after that mound visit, LaChance buckled down and got those final two outs, with help from third baseman Braden Sundquist.

"It was a good team win," LaChance said. "We only had one error. I'm kind of emotional a little bit. I know I'll be here for the Indians (summer league season), but it was my last time at home."

The Braves will close the regular season at Norway on Thursday, then after the holiday weekend, all of the playoff games will be on the road.

"For most of them (seniors), it's their first year, beacuse they didn't have a junior year last year," LaCosse said. "They've really stepped up. They've taken charge of this team. They're filling that leadership role. It's their work ethic. You can tell that playing together, they have a feel for each other."

BR-H used five pitchers in the game because the Broncos play two league games against Superior Central on Wednesday.The Braves took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a successful delayed steal that saw Sundquist score, and the second run scored on a passed ball.

Gladstone added a run in the third inning when Owen Trombley led off with a walk, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch, and eventually scored on a suicide squeeze bunt by another senior, Ryan Polley. Polley scored the team's fourth run in the fourth inning when he was hit by a pitch to lead off and came home on a sacrafice fly by senior Blake Krouth.

Gladstone (14-8) seemingly put the game away in the fifth inning when they scored three runs against arguably the best pitcher on the BR-H team: senior Nick Javurek. LaChance led off with a double, then Trombley followed with an RBI single. Polley followed with a run-scoring triple, and then Krouth followed with an RBI single. All of a sudden, it was 7-0.

But the Broncos (17-6) didn't give up, with only three outs to work with. LaChance was able to finish what he started, and the Braves closed Senior Night on top.

"It's really bittersweet," Krouth said. "But it's a good way to end it. That's what I wanted it to be. It was agood team win. It's definitely sad for us seniors, but it has to happen. They're a good team. They hit the ball well and they're got some pretty good pitchers. But we know that as long as we keep it clean, and we don't have all the errors that we've been having all season, we can beat pretty much any team, and that's what happned today."

The Braves won the junior varsity game over the JV Broncos, 9-0. Then, the teams were all treated to a coookout that featured 175 hot dogs, a bunch of chips, and treats. The Gladstone seniors were then introduced to the large crowd with their biographies read over the PA.

The Broncos will host Superior Central on Wednesday. The game will be broadcast on Eagle 107.3 FM and www.radioresultsnetwork.com. The Braves close the regular season at Marion Park in Norway on Thursday. That game will be broadcast on NewsTalk FM-93.5/AM-600 in Gladstone, AM-1450 in Norway, and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.