THE REPORTER
The Hamilton Southeastern baseball team’s post-season run came to an end in championship game of the La Porte semi-state last Saturday.
The Royals beat Homestead 2-1 in eight innings to reach the final, where they lost to Penn 1-0. It was the first time Southeastern was playing at the semi-state since 2019.
In the first game, both teams scored a run in the sixth inning. The Spartans scored first in the top of the inning with an RBI fielder’s choice, but the Royals tied the game when Chugga Rosario batted in Drew LaFleur with a base hit to center field.
Both teams went three up, three down in the end-of-regulation seventh inning, so it was on to extras. Southeastern only needed one: After setting down the Spartans 1-2-3, the Royals put across the winning run with two outs, as Clayton Wilke scored when Harrison Dilts reached on error.
Southeastern had five hits against Homestead, including a 2-for-3 effort from Rosario and a double from Kam Seitz. Nolan Colbert and Dilts both had one hit. Meanwhile, Ty Bradle pitched all eight innings and delivered an outstanding effort, striking out nine and allowing just three hits and one walk.
The championship game was just as close, with neither team scoring until the bottom of the sixth inning. That team was Penn, as the Kingsmen scored on a wild pitch for the game’s lone run.
The Royals had two hits, a single from Cole Earlewine and Colbert. Ethan Lund also pitched a great game, with nine strikeouts against one hit and three walks.
Southeastern finished its season with a 20-15 record.