Wilson already ended a 28-year drought with a Section VI championship and tried to extend its season for one more weekend. But, unfortunately, the fielding miscues were too much to overcome.
After only recording four total errors in the postseason and an average of two per game on the season, the Lakemen committed seven against Section V’s Bolivar-Richburg. As a result, the Wolverines scored seven unearned runs off Tyler Johnston for an 8-1 win over Wilson in the Class C state quarterfinal Friday at Salamanca High School.
Wilson and Bolivar-Richburg started the contest by exchanging a run each, with Conner Ernest involved in both. Aydin Sisson’s ground ball hit off the glove of Ernest at shortstop, allowing Reiss Gaines to score and give the visiting Wolverines the 1-0 lead.
But, in the bottom of the first, three batters after Ryan Hough drew a lead-off walk, Ernest brought his teammate home on a RBI sacrifice groundout to tie the game at 1-1. But, from there, the Wolverines took advantage of Wilson’s fielding mistakes.
Wilson committed two errors each in the second and third, which turned into unearned runs against Johnston. Landon Barkley started the second by hitting a groundball on an error by Wilson first baseman Tyler Woolson.
Two batters later, and with one-out, Barkley scored after Kingston Loucks’ groundball couldn’t be grabbed by Johnston to give the Wolverines a 2-1 lead. Bolivar-Richburg then added three runs in the third, thanks to more infield errors by the Lakemen.
After a 1-out single by Sisson, the Wolverines added more base-runners. Caden Allen’s pop-fly was dropped by Ernest and Barkley reached on an error by Wilson catcher Blake Simpson, allowing Sisson to score for a 3-1 lead.
Allen and Barkley then both scored on a passed ball to give the Wolverines a 5-1 lead. Bolivar-Richburg then provided timely hitting in the fourth.
Trey Buchholz’s two-run single to second allowed Gaines and Maddox Davison to score. Sisson’s sacrifice fly then brought home Buchholtz for Bolivar-Richburg’s eventual final run of the game.
Along with the fielding, Wilson couldn’t generate an offense following Ernest’s RBI groundout in the first. From that point on, the Lakemen recorded only three more hits and struck out seven times in Buchholz’s complete-game performance on 82 pitches.
In the loss for Wilson, Johnston struck out seven and allowed three hits in six innings of work while Ernest threw the seventh and retired one. Johnston, Tyler Durow, Casey Sidote and Aiden Flynn all had a hit.
With the win, Bolivar-Richburg (24-2) plays either Section XI’s Pierson or Section IX’s Burke Catholic in a Class C semifinal at 1 p.m. June 7 at Binghamton University.
Wilson finished the season with a 14-8 record.