Entering Friday’s Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 4, District 4 Tournament championship game against Sullivan’s Eagles, Steven Kemp’s Owensville Dutchmen had the advantage of having their ace pitcher Chase Weirich available in addition to being the home team on the scoreboard.

Scoreless after four innings, Weirich limited the Eagles to one hit along with another base runner who reached on a dropped third strike.

Two hits, two errors and a walk later, Owensville found themselves on the wrong side of a 3-0 score.

In spite of Weirich leading off the bottom of the seventh inning with a double before scoring on a Chris Allen RBI ground out, Owensville (13-10) saw their season end once again at the hands of Sullivan by a final score of 3-1.

“We just had one bad inning and sometimes that is the difference in the game of baseball,” Kemp said. “Our guys just kept battling but you have to tip your hat to Sullivan who took advantage of our miscues in the field.”

After Weirich pitched around a two-out double in the top of the first inning, he gave his Dutchmen offense a chance to give him a lead in the bottom half of the first.

Zaiden Gates led off with a walk before stealing second base.

He advanced to third base on a Landon Kramme single before a walk to Weirich loaded the bases for Jansen Loeb.

A double play killed the possible scoring chance leaving the game scoreless after one inning.

Pitching around a dropped third strike and an error in the top of the second, Weirich kept the Eagles off the scoreboard giving the Dutchmen another shot at scoring first.

Retired in order by Eagle starter Lucas Parsons, Owensville and Sullivan remained scoreless after two innings.

Over the third and fourth innings, Parsons and Weirich retired all six batters they faced.

After Sullivan’s aforementioned three-run top of the fifth inning, the Dutchmen looked to answer the Eagles.

Leyton Homeyer delivered a one-out single to right field in the bottom of the fifth inning before a double play ended the frame with the orange and black still having a zero on the scoreboard.

Moving to the bottom of the sixth, Gates was hit by a pitch before he stole second and third base. He was eventually left stranded after a fly out to right field and a strikeout ended the inning.

Weirich retired the Eagles in order during the top of the seventh before doubling and scoring Owensville’s lone run in the bottom of the seventh.

Taking the tough-luck loss, Weirich pitched all seven innings allowing three runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk to go with four strikeouts.

Parsons earned the complete-game win allowing an unearned run on three hits and two walks to go with seven strikeouts.

A complete recap of postseason honors at the (Four Rivers) conference and district level by the Dutchmen will be in an upcoming issue of the Gasconade County Republican.