ELIDA — Just one more out … one more strike.

That was all Archbold needed to advance to a Division III regional final.

But Davis Friedman put another dagger in the heart of the Blue Streaks, lining an 0-2 pitch for a two-run single, giving Columbus Academy a 4-3 win and a berth against Coldwater in the final.

“They don’t come much tougher than that,” disappointed Archbold coach Dick Selgo said after the Blue Streaks lost in the regional for the third year in a row.

After scoring an insurance run in the top of the seventh for a 3-1 lead, the Blue Streaks appeared on their way to victory. However, free passes came back to haunt Archbold.

After a pop out to open the bottom half, two walks was the end for starting pitcher Brandon Miller. With junior left-hander Rigo Ramos on the mound, Hayden Compton hit into a fielder’s choice.

But a walk to Max Dreisbach loaded the bases, and a free pass to Evan Scott scored Nick Rothmann to pull Academy within 3-2.

Ramos quickly got in front of Friedman, but the senior came through with his fourth hit of the day for the Vikings (19-13).

“We were going to take until he got a strike, and he didn’t look good on the second pitch,” Academy coach Todd Dunkle said. “As a coach, you think one more pitch. I knew he’d put it in play, I just didn’t know where. The ball must have looked like a watermelon to him today.”

Failed opportunities from the start came back to haunt Archbold (24-6), which left 11 runners on base, including at least one in every inning.

“There were way too many opportunities we didn’t capitalize on throughout the game,” noted Selgo, whose team had just four hits but was the beneficiary of eight walks and a hit batsman. “If we could build the lead, the guys are more relaxed and the pitcher’s feeling better.”

Kade Kern drove in the first two runs for Archbold, one during the first inning on a groundout to score Nic Rodriguez, and the second two innings later on a single to score Jeron Williams, who led off with a double.

Columbus Academy cut the lead in half in the fifth on a hit-by-pitch, a Compton single, and a sacrifice fly.

But Archbold made it 3-1 in the seventh after Bryce Williams was hit by a pitch and scored when Kern’s sacrifice bunt was first bobbled by pitcher Matthew Saling, then thrown wildy by the first baseman, Compton, to third in an attempt to an aggressive Williams.

In contrast, Archbold turned two double plays to thwart Academy threats, and catcher Gabe Petersen also threw out a pair of runners trying to steal.

Unfortunately for the Blue Streaks, the solid defensive play was not enough, thanks in part to 10 walks allowed.

“Give our defense a chance and they’re pretty good,” Selgo said. “We had a few big plays to get us out of jams but we needed to come in and score runs to take advantage of that.”

While the Vikings are one win away from their first trip to state, Archbold’s season ended once again just short of where it wanted to be.

“Some of these seniors have been in three straight regionals,” Selgo said. 

“They’ve really done a lot for Archbold baseball. We will miss them.”

First Published May 25, 2018, 3:03 a.m.