“Their guy on the mound was very effective, very good pitcher, kept us off balance at times,” Eaton coach Robert Ebright said.
Eaton, which made its first regional appearance since 1991, finished the season 21-6. Delaware Buckeye Valley will return to Mason High School at 5 p.m. Friday to face No. 7 Badin, which beat Cleves Taylor 6-0 in the first semifinal Thursday, with a trip to the state tournament on the line. Buckeye Valley has never reached the state final four, while Badin seeks its 14th trip.
Despite the loss, Ebright was proud of how his team fought throughout the contest and credited the Barons’ performance.
“I thought we swung it well,” he said. “I thought we played defensively well. I thought we pitched it well. I think they earned it. I don’t think we gave it to them.”
Buckeye Valley jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to an RBI single in the third inning and a solo home run in the fourth. The Eagles got one back in the sixth but were unable to complete the comeback. After the game, Ebright thanked the seniors on his team for the impact they had on the program.
“What an incredible culture they’ve built for us (with) the leadership they’ve provided, the selfless attitude of caring about your teammates over yourself,” Ebright said. “Hopefully we can continue to grow as a program and they’re the reason for that.”
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