Valle stages comeback, defeats Oran in Class 1 quarterfinals

~ The Eagles had their 13-game winning streak snapped by Valle.

Oran's vast state baseball experience and success made the Eagles' 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning Friday appear insurmountable, especially against a Valle team that had just picked up its first state playoff win in the sectional earlier in the week.

The upstart Warriors were not intimidated, and scored five runs over the next two innings to claw back for a 5-4 quarterfinal victory at Oran.

"No team in Ste. Genevieve had ever won a playoff game," Valle senior Nathan Grass said. "This was huge."

It was the first quarterfinal loss for the Eagles in their last seven appearances in the final eight. Oran had made it to the state final four in four of the past five seasons and in each of its last six trips to the state playoffs.

Oran shortstop Tyler Beardslee tried to make a play on a grounder in front of third baseman Chris Asmus during Friday's 5-4 quarterfinal loss to Valle in Oran. (Kit Doyle)

Oran finished its season 24-5 after having its 13-game winning streak snapped.

"If you continue to win district titles and get into these games, you always have a chance to win it," Oran coach Mitch Wood said.

The Eagles had plenty of chances to win it Friday. Caleb Seyer put the Eagles on top in the third inning with a two-run home run over the center-field fence.

A rain delay in the fourth helped Valle starter Grass get off his rhythm, resulting in a pair of walks and a run scored on a wild pitch. Seyer struck out with the bases loaded to end the inning.

Tyler Beardslee drove in the Eagles' final run with a double in the fifth. He was stranded on third when Chris Asmus was thrown out trying to steal second for the final out of the inning.

Valle[']s Kyle Basler collided with Oran shortstop Tyler Beardslee during Friday's game. Basler was called out for obstruction. (Kit Doyle)

"We left a lot of stranded runners on base," Wood said. "Once or twice with the bases loaded or second and third and less than two outs. You get a hit here or there and it's a different ballgame."

Oran starter Steven Dooley was cruising along until the fifth. Cole Bieser led off with a single and Colby Schilly drove him in with a one-out single. After a ground out to second, Nathan Geile blasted a two-run home run to left-center field to close the gap to 4-3.

Dooley faced one batter in the sixth, allowing a leadoff double to Aaron Basler. Overall, Dooley allowed four runs, six hits, one walk and struck out five in five-plus innings.

"He was good when he was in there," Wood said of Dooley. "He just hung one mistake and it cost him. The reason he came out was momentum. I was trying to swing the momentum."

Senior left-hander Chase Seyer came in to replace Dooley. Chase Seyer had thrown a complete game in Wednesday's win over Cooter.

TOP: Valle Catholic players celebrated their comeback victory over Oran. The Warriors rallied from a 4-0 fifth-inning deficit. BOTTOM: Valle's Kyle Basler collided with Oran shortstop Tyler Beardslee during Friday's game. Basler was called out for obstruction.

Grass sacrificed to Seyer to move the runner over to third with one out. Casey Koller followed with an RBI single. Bieser came up next and picked up a single, and No. 9 hitter Kyle Basler followed with a game-winning single through the right side of the infield.

"I just went up there and I usually always hit it to the right side," Kyle Basler said. "Coach said before I went up [that] there was a big hole over there. But we wouldn't have gotten that far if [Grass] hadn't pitched that great."

Chase Seyer loaded the bases before getting out of the jam with Oran down 5-4. The Eagles had the top of their lineup up in the seventh, but went down in order to end the game.

"Everyone second guesses everything, but I've seen too many games where the best pitcher sits on the bench," Wood said. "We weren't going to do that. Chase has won a lot of big games for us."

Grass went the distance for the win. Oran managed six hits off the Southeast Missouri State football signee, and Grass struck out 10 with four walks. Those four walks all came in the fourth and fifth innings after the rain.

"It was tough after that trying to find [my rhythm]," Grass said.

Bieser led Valle's nine-hit attack with a 3-for-3 game.

Dooley had two hits for the Eagles.

Valle 5, Oran 4

Oran 002 110 0 -- 4 6 1

Valle 000 032 x -- 5 9 0

WP -- Nathan Grass. LP -- Chase Seyer. HR -- Caleb Seyer (O), Nathan Geile (V). 2B -- Aaron Bozler (V), Tyler Beardslee (O). Multiple hits -- Oran, Steven Dooley 2-3; Valle, Cole Bieser 3-3. Records -- Oran 24-5, Valle 27-2.