The Rossville Hornets fell two wins short of a back-to-back State Championships, falling to Andrean in the Semi-State Championship game 9-0.
After winning the semifinal game, the Hornets couldn’t replicate the late-inning heroics in game two.
The Hornets delivered a sensational comeback in the Semi-State semifinal, defeating Central Noble 6-5 after trailing 5-1 entering the bottom of the 6th.
After leading 1-0 through the first four, Central Noble put up five runs in the top of the fifth. The Hornets didn’t score in the bottom of the fifth, but held the Cougars scoreless in the top of the sixth.
Down to their final six outs, Rossville rallied with four runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at five.
In the bottom of the seventh, Addi Gorbett crushed a ball to left field, scoring Gracie McDonalad and walking it off for the Hornets to win 6-5.
In the Semi-State Championship game against Andrean, the Hornets fell behind 2-0 after the top of the first.
The next six innings were a pitcher’s duel, as Rossville’s Avery Layton and Andrean’s Sadie Drousais battled. The Fighting 59’ers broke the game open in the top of the seventh, plating seven.
Rossville couldn’t push any runs across in the bottom of the seventh, and fell 9-0.
After winning the Class 1A State Championship a season ago, the Hornets finished in the final four in Class 2A this season. The Tecumseh Braves, who finished as a runner-up to Rossville last year, made it back to the State Finals this year after beating Salem 16-0. The Braves will take on Andrean on Saturday at Bittinger Stadium for the Class 2A State Finals.
The Hornets will return all but one player next season. Senior pitcher Avery Layton graduates with over 1000 career strikeouts and will be playing at Virginia Tech next season.