Free passes torpedo Bell City's upset bid

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- It's one of the cliched directives of the game of baseball: Don't walk the leadoff batter.

All too often the result is runs scoring for the opposition when that is ignored.

That was the case in Bell City's 8-1 loss to Bernie in the Class 1 District 2 semifinals Tuesday.

The fifth-seeded Cubs entered the bottom of the fifth inning with a 1-0 lead over the top-seed and state-ranked Mules, but Bell City soon found itself facing a big deficit after a walk to the ninth-place hitter in Bernie's lineup.

"Walks never help anything," Bell City coach Matt Asher said. "That's for one. But then we kind of went 'Bad News Bears' for an inning there, just a play here and there."

Bell City's Terrance Johnson slides safely into third base as the ball sails past Bernie's Will Barnett during Tuesday's Class 1 District 2 semifinal in Chaffee, Mo. (LAURA SIMON)

Bernie followed the walk with back-to-back base hits to load the bases before a pair of errors by the Cubs on a grounders to third base allowed two runs to scores. Five Mules crossed the plate in the fifth.

"I think that we just got to a point to where we had to persevere there and try to get through some things," Bernie coach Jason Long said. "He got in a nice little groove there early and the first three or four innings really just went right through us."

The Mules were able to manufacture runs in the fifth.

"We were able to get some bunts down, get a squeeze down and those are things that you have to do," Long said. "You're not going to hit every day. The hitting looks good and it's glamorous and all that, but a day like today you just have to find a way and persevere."

Bell City got its run in the top of the first inning on an RBI single by Jeff Long. The Cubs threatened again in the second, putting runners on second and third with one out.

"I think they think they can play and that's good," Asher said of his team's lack of intimidation. "You want to be confident. We gave Bernie everything they wanted. I promise."

Bernie loaded the bases in the first inning, but did not score until that breakthrough fifth inning.

Freshman Jerad Yates went the distance for Bell City after the Cubs used their ace in Monday's quarterfinal win.

"He's a gamer," Asher said. "I think he wanted the ball, not that some of my other ones didn't, but he came in a good spot. He pitched pretty good this year. I just felt like he was our best option coming into today."

Yates dismissed the Mules in order in the third and fourth innings.

"I was throwing strikes and I guess they just couldn't hit them for the first four innings," Yates said. "My curveball was working a little bit."

Senior Jake Owens got the complete-game victory for Bernie.

"I think some people question our pitching, but [Owen[']s] been rock solid for us all year," coach Long said. "There was no doubt. We knew going into this tournament that once we got to the semifinal game that we were going with him because he's thrown well for us all year and he threw well again today."

Bell City finished the season 9-9.

"I told the boys the game probably should've ended 3-1 or 2-1, but you go 3-1 with the No. 8 team in the state -- that's all you can ask for," coach Long said. "You came out and competed and you gave yourself a chance to win the game. It just didn't happen."

Bernie will face Chaffee in today's 4 p.m. championship game.

Bell City 100 000 0 -- 1 5 6

Bernie 000 053 x -- 8 9 1

WP -- Jake Owens. LP -- Jerad Yates. Multiple hits -- Bernie: Jake Welch 2-3, Owens 2-3, Jordan McGowan 2-4. Records -- Bell City 9-9.