Boscobel stuns Seneca in regional game
Owen Oppriecht stares intently at the incoming pitch. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Seneca starting pitcher Jack Gallagher delivers a pitch early in the Royals regional game against Boscobel. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Tucker DuCharme tries to beat the Bulldog base runner to third base on a stolen base attempt. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
By Derick Kelly
The Seneca Royals baseball team began postseason play last Tuesday, June 3, when they hosted the Boscobel Bulldogs in a D4 regional semifinal.
The game became a pitcher’s duel between Jack Gallagher and Boscobel starter Landon Haessyly as the two starters combined to allow zero runs on just 11 total hits (with none of those hits going for extra bases) and three walks with 16 strikeouts.
A strikeout gave the Royals a quick first out but it also pushed Gallagher to his 100 pitch limit, forcing Seneca to go to their bullpen. Senior Dawson Davidson entered the game but hit Cameron Loos with his second pitch. Bryar Wayne followed with a single to left field to put runners at first and second and only one out for the Bulldogs. A stolen base by Loos made it runners at the corners and on a bunt attempt by Boscobel’s Tyler Miller, Loos slid into home under the glove of catcher Briar Wall as the Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead. Davidson retired the next two batters to end the inning as the Royals went to the bottom of the seventh looking for some magic of their own.
Hunter Hagensick started the inning by hitting a single to center field. Haessyly responded by striking out Jackson Konichek for the first out. Haessyly got his second out of the inning when Hagensick was caught stealing second. The senior pitcher then struck out Sawyer Swiggum on the next pitch to end the game 1-0.
Konichek (2-for-3) led the Royals offense which also got hits from Hagensick, Gage Wall and Tucker DuCharme.
Gallagher allowed zero runs on six hits and two walks with 12 strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched. Davidson suffered the loss after allowing one run on one hit with two strikeouts in 0.2 innings pitched.
Seneca ends their season 21-3 overall and champions of the Ridge & Valley Conference. The Royals will graduate six seniors: Davidson, DuCharme, Gallagher, Reggie George, Owen Oppriecht and Briar Wall.
