PLATT, Kan. - Grafton's comeback wasn't enough to extend its American Legion baseball season.
Grafton dropped a 5-4 decision to Waupun, Wis., on Sunday in the loser-out round of the Midwest Class AA tournament. The loss closed the season on Grafton, which finished with a 31-10 record.
Grafton rallied from a 2-0 deficit, scoring twice in the third inning and going up 3-2 in the top of the fifth. But Waupun pulled out the win with two runs in the bottom of the inning.
"We were pretty excited to come back, tie the game and then get the go-ahead run,'' Grafton coach Chad Kliniske said. "We were feeling pretty good about ourselves. But I think the nerves, the pressure, might have gotten to us.''
Grafton, down 2-0, tied the game in the top of the third. Charlie Thompson had a lead-off single and went to third on an Austin Markel single. After Markel stole second, Garek Droog drove in two runs with a single.
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In the fifth, Brett Longtin walked, stole second and scored on a Markel single.
But Waupun tied the game on a John Darne home run in the bottom of the fifth. With two out, a single, walk and hit batter loaded the bases. Brett Vangalen's infield single deep in the hole between short and third drove in the game winner. "It was a close play at first, but I think he was safe,'' Kliniske said.
Markel had two hits to pace Grafton's seven-hit offense.
"We can't be disappointed with this or anything this summer,'' Kliniske said. "We probably weren't the favorite to win our section. We darn sure weren't supposed to win state. To get here and to win a couple of games, we're feeling pretty up beat. It's a good experience for our younger kids and it's a nice way for our older kids to go out.''
Grafton opened the tournament with a loss, then won twice Saturday in the loser-out round. To have won the tournament, Grafton would have had to win three straight games Sunday.
"To get through three games, I think we all knew would have taken a miracle,'' Kliniske said. "I don't know if we would have had enough pitching to do it.''
WAUPUN, WIS., 5,
GRAFTON 4
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Grafton 002 01 -- 4 7 0
Team2 110 02 -- 5 7 0
WP -- Andrew Tavs; LP - Adam Mach
Grafton highlights -- Austin Markel 2x3, 1 run, 1 RBI, 2 SB, Garek Droog 1x3, 2 RBI, Sam Heuchert 1x2, Christian Lunde 1x2, Jaime Villarreal 1x2, 2B, Charlie Thompson 1x2, 1 run
