TRAVERSE CITY---The Gladstone High School baseball team's late-season push toward another trip to the state semifinals came up one step short on Tuesday.
The boys lost to Mason County Central, 8-2, in the MHSAA Division Three quarterfinals at Traverse City St. Francis High School.
Gladstone had won 13 of its last 15 games, and captured district and regional championships, despite the season-long injury to two-time All-Stater Hunter Garling.
But the Braves made too many mistakes on Tuesday and couldn't get the clutch base hit to overcome those mistakes. Gladstone started Nick Trudeau on the mound, since the Braves used their top two pitchers during last Saturday's regional tournament victory.
It was a tough spot for Trudeau, who didn't pitch much during the regular season. He yielded a two-run double to Blake Bladnik in the first inning, but Gladstone scratched together a couple of runs in the top of the second inning to tie it, 2-2.
The game turned in the bottom of the second inning as Mason County Central, playing in its first quarterfinal since 1998, scored five runs. The Braves had several errors in that rally, and senior Elliot Danhoff eventually came in to pitch. That came too late, however.
Gladstone did have a scoring opportunity in the third inning when the Braves loaded the bases against Spartans ace Nolan Asiala, who pitched MCC to a regional title last Saturday. Asiala got Lucas Weinert to strike out to strand those three runners, ending the inning.
MCC improved to 28-8 on the season, winning its 13th straight game. Gladstone finished its season 22-13, just one win away from a trip to the Final 4 at Michigan State University.
Many of the Braves will be back on the field Thursday night as the American Legion Gladstone Indians open their summer season against the Escanaba Cubs.
The boys lost to Mason County Central, 8-2, in the MHSAA Division Three quarterfinals at Traverse City St. Francis High School.
Gladstone had won 13 of its last 15 games, and captured district and regional championships, despite the season-long injury to two-time All-Stater Hunter Garling.
But the Braves made too many mistakes on Tuesday and couldn't get the clutch base hit to overcome those mistakes. Gladstone started Nick Trudeau on the mound, since the Braves used their top two pitchers during last Saturday's regional tournament victory.
It was a tough spot for Trudeau, who didn't pitch much during the regular season. He yielded a two-run double to Blake Bladnik in the first inning, but Gladstone scratched together a couple of runs in the top of the second inning to tie it, 2-2.
The game turned in the bottom of the second inning as Mason County Central, playing in its first quarterfinal since 1998, scored five runs. The Braves had several errors in that rally, and senior Elliot Danhoff eventually came in to pitch. That came too late, however.
Gladstone did have a scoring opportunity in the third inning when the Braves loaded the bases against Spartans ace Nolan Asiala, who pitched MCC to a regional title last Saturday. Asiala got Lucas Weinert to strike out to strand those three runners, ending the inning.
MCC improved to 28-8 on the season, winning its 13th straight game. Gladstone finished its season 22-13, just one win away from a trip to the Final 4 at Michigan State University.
Many of the Braves will be back on the field Thursday night as the American Legion Gladstone Indians open their summer season against the Escanaba Cubs.
