ST. ELIZABETH, Mo. - It wasn't a walkoff win, it was a run-off one.
The St. Elizabeth Hornets used a strange final play to win their Class 1 District 9 semifinal with Tuscumbia on Tuesday night, claiming a 2-1 victory.
With the game tied in the bottom of the seventh, the Hornets loaded the bases with no outs thanks to a leadoff double by Mason Kemna, an intentional walk to Wes Huhman and a walk by Wyatt Stiles.
The next batter struck out, however, and the Hornets took off thanks to a dropped third strike. The Tuscumbia catcher retrieved the ball and fired it to the pitcher covering home, and he stepped on the plate. But since the bases were no longer full - the batter was unable to advance after striking out with first base occupied and less than two outs - a forceout was no longer in effect.
As such, a tag was necessary and Kemna came home safely from third with the winning run.
"I thought I'd seen everything when it comes to baseball, and it turns out I was wrong," St. Elizabeth coach Nick Voss said.
The second-seeded Hornets got the win against the third-seeded Lions thanks in large part to a pitching gem by Braydon Holtmeyer. He twirled a complete-game six-hitter, striking out four while walking just one.
Holtmeyer also had a hit and a run scored for St. Elizabeth, which had just four hits total. Mason Kemna had a double and a run scored.
The Hornets (4-15) now move on to face top-seeded Jamestown at 6 p.m. today for the championship.