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The game against Daniel Boone was tied 4-4 after seven innings, setting up a wild eighth frame.
Daniel Boone grabbed an 11-4 advantage with seven runs in the top of the eighth.
Washington made things interesting with four runs in the bottom half of the eighth. Post 218 had the tying run at the plate with one out, but couldn't get any closer than three runs.
Daniel Boone scored all seven of its runs in the eighth inning with two outs. Post 218 was a matter of inches from getting out of the inning with no runs allowed.
With the score tied 4-4 and a runner at third base with two outs, Washington pitcher Austin Peirick did not get a call on a two-strike pitch that barely missed low in the strike zone, which would have ended the inning.
On the next pitch, Daniel Boone's Jacob Rhodes stroked an RBI single to left field to give his team a 5-4 lead.
From there, the floodgates opened.
Daniel Boone scored six more runs on three hits, two walks, one hit batter and two errors.
The inning finally came to an end when Post 218 center fielder Lance Conway threw out a runner at the plate on a base hit to center field.
Washington threw out two runners at the plate in the game.
Right fielder Trent Leimkuehler pulled the trick in the top of the fifth inning.
Catcher Chris Jackson applied the tag on both plays.
Post 218 did not go down quietly in the bottom of the eighth inning.
With one out, Conway singled and Brett Backhaus and Leimkuehler both reached on an error to make the score 11-5.
Mic Fox, Jackson and Cody Gardner each followed with RBI singles to trim the deficit to 11-8.
But the game ended when Washington's next two batters grounded out to shortstop and flied out to right field.
"It was a tough way to end a very good season," Gardner said. "As I said all year, the competition was very tough in and out of our district."
Brendan Elbert pitched the first five innings for Washington in a no-decision. He allowed four runs, three earned, on seven hits with one walk and no strikeouts.
Peirick took over in the sixth inning. He worked 2.2 frames to suffer the loss. He allowed six runs (all in the eighth inning), five earned, on four hits with one walk and five strikeouts.
Cody Coffman worked one-third of an inning, allowing one run on one hit with one walk and no strikeouts.
Daniel Boone used four pitchers in the contest. Jared Hagely was the winner. The two teams combined for 23 hits in the contest.
Jackson led Washington's 11-hit attack by going 4-5 at the plate with a double, two RBIs and one run.
Leimkuehler was 2-4 with a double, walk, one RBI and three runs.
Dylan Bielicke, Fox, Gardner, Coffman and Conway each added one hit.
Fox collected one RBI and one run. Gardner and Coffman both had one RBI. Bielicke and Conway both scored one run.
Brett Backhaus drew one walk and scored once.
Jake Ivory and Brett Peel both paced Daniel Boone with three hits.
Daniel Boone took a 2-0 lead with two runs in the top of the first inning.
Washington grabbed a 3-2 advantage with single tallies in the bottom of the first, second and third frames.
Daniel Boone regained the lead 4-3 with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth.
Post 218 tied the game 4-4 with a run in the bottom of the fifth.
Washington accomplished some big things during the season.
"We started with being in position to win our Memorial Day Tournament, having a 6-1 lead in the third inning before we were rained out," Gardner said. "We came in second in the Springfield 16-Team Wood Bat Tournament. We finished in second place in our district with an 11-2 record."
Gardner appreciates the commitment his team showed.
"We told the kids how proud we were of them and we thanked them all for their efforts," Gardner said. "Personally, it was hard for me to see it come to an end because I have coached all of them for several years. They are all very good baseball players as well as fine young men. I wish them all the best."
