All the fireworks happened in the bottom of the sixth inning with the North Linn Lynx leading, 2-1. To start the inning, Isaac Willenbring was walked and Dustin Jacque bunted for a hit. Eric DeSousa sacrificed to move the runners and that was the end of the normalcy. Craig Kerper struck out, but the catcher wasn't able to make the final catch. When he threw to first, Willenbring raced down the third baseline to score the tying run. Jacque waited patiently on third base until another ball got past the North Linn catcher, then he raced down the baseline and scored the winning run on a wild pitch.
"It was way too close," Jacque said of the play at home. "I was glad I got underneath the tag though."
In the post-season, all that matters is who gets the win, and the Blazers had a lot of chances in this game where they not only left 11 guys on
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"It's always nice to get a win like this. We had times when we could have broke open the game, but we could never get it done," Jacque said.
"I think we played pretty good, never mind that we left so many runners on base. If we get those guys in, we don't get in that situation, but I love being in them," Isaac Willenbring said. Beckman had just six hits in the game, and part of that was due to North Linn pitcher Tanner Pease.
"Pease is definitely a good pitcher and I respect him a lot," Willenbring said. "We played him last year and he did better this year. I have nothing, but respect for the kid."
Willenbring struck out seven, walked one and allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits for the complete-game victory.
"I think I did all right despite throwing a few pitches that ended up advancing runners, but other than that I think I did pretty well," Willenbring said of his performance on the mound.
Jacque led the Blazers offensively, bating 2-for-3. Willenbring, DeSousa, Kerper and Robbie Anstoetter each had one hit.
With the win, Beckman advanced to the district finals on July 17 against Cascade.