The Crest Lancers’ losses at the hands of likely Three Rivers League champion Central Heights on Tuesday raises the stakes of their next couple of games.
With the TRL title likely out of reach, it only magnifies the importance of next Thursday’s game against Uniontown with every win and loss from here on out determining Crest’s seeding for the regional tournament in May.
The Central Heights Vikings solidified their hold on the TRL after opening the doubleheader with a 7-3 win. Crest held its own, trailing by a run going into the seventh, but that’s where it all changed as the Vikings scored four unanswered runs to take the opener.
Junior Drake Weir took the loss, despite posting 10 strikeouts over six innings while driving in a team-leading two RBIs, followed by senior first baseman Kade Nilges, freshman shortstop Kole Walter and junior catcher Jensen Barker with one each.
The finale seemed to go in the opposite order as the Vikings held a four-run lead heading into the Lancers’ final at-bat, but Crest’s rally fell short as they lost 4-3 on a flyout. Junior designated hitter Dalton Kersley registered the Lancers’ only RBI of the finale while Nilges took the loss with four strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings while allowing two hits and a run.
With the loss, the Lancers fall to 13-5 overall and 13-3 in Three Rivers League play. Following a brief excursion while hosting the Kansas City Christian Panthers on Tuesday, the Lancers return to the TRL next Thursday for a crucial doubleheader while hosting Uniontown. First pitches for the doubleheaders are 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.
