The Macomb High baseball team rallied for three runs in its final at-bat to edge Monmouth-Roseville 6-5 Monday afternoon at Sunny Lane Field.
Macomb grabbed the lead in the top of the third, scoring three runs.
Nick Elbe walked to open the inning. Tyler Schulz entered as a courtesy runner for Elbe. He advanced to second when Drew Watson was hit by a pitch.
Both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch before Aiden Reynolds grounded into a fielder’s choice with third baseman Liam Parker throwing to catcher Keegan Smith in tagging out Schulz for the first out.
Jake Ogle was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Blaine Edington became the third Bomber in the inning hit by a pitch. That allowed Watson to score the game’s first run.
Jaxon Barclay then hit into a fielder’s choice at short that allowed Eddington to score. Kaden Knupp then reached on an error by pitcher Elijah Noel that allowed Ogle to score the third run of the inning.
The Titans answered in the bottom of the inning, scoring three runs against Hayden Katz.
Clay Casteel walked to open the inning. One out later, Smith walked before Nick Huston reached on a bunt single to load the bases.
Landyn Angelo was hit by a pitch to force home a run before Tyler Carlson fouled out to Reynolds at first base for the second out.
Noel doubled to left, bringing home two runs. Angelo also tried to score on the play, but the throw from left by Eddington to Katz to catcher Leighton Lambert was in time to throw Angelo out at the plate for the third out, leaving the game tied at 3-3.
The Titans grabbed the lead in the bottom of the sixth.
Casteel walked with two outs and scored when Andrew Way doubled to center.bringing home Casteel.
Down to its final at-bat, Macomb rallied for three runs.
Ogle was hit by a pitch to start the inning before moving to second on a wild pitch. Eddington bunted and reached on an error by Angelo, who was now pitching. That allowed Ogle to score the tying run and Edington to reach second.
Eddington advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored when Jaxon Barclay singled to right, giving the Bombers a 5-4 lead.
One out later, Barclay stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a base hit to right by Isaac Leinbach.
The Titans had one final chance in the bottom of the seventh.
Huston walked to open the inning before Angelo singled to left. Tyler Carlson executed a sacrifice bunt with runners advancing to third and second.
Noel was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Parker grounded into a fielder’s choice at second, allowing Huston to score, cutting Macomb’s lead to a single run.
But with the tying run at third, Leinbach struck out Ty Moore swinging to end the game.
Both teams finished the contest with eights and two errors.
Leinbach pitched the final three innings in picking up the win. He allowed two earned runs on two hits. Leinbach struck out three, walked three and hit a batter.
Elbe started, pitching two innings. He allowed one hit and struck out two.
Katz also pitched two innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits. He struck out one, walked two and hit a batter.
Barclay had two hits and knocked in two runs for Macomb. Knupp and Leinbach both had a hit and a run batted in, while Eddington scored a run and knocked in a run.
Ogle had a hit and scored twice, while Watson and Reynolds both had a hit and a run scored for the Bombers.
Noel doubled with two runs batted in for Monmouth- Roseville.
Way and Angelo both had two hits with a run batted in. Huston and Clay Casteel chipped in one hit, both scoring twice.
The Titans used five pitchers.
Clay Casteel started, allowing five hits and one hit batter, but no runs in two innings.
Way pitched one-third of an inning, allowing three earned runs on zero hits, He walked one and hit three batters. Noel pitched 2.1 innings, allowing one hit. He struck out two and walked four.
Cal Casteel recorded one strikeout of the only batter he faced.
Angelo took the loss. He pitched two innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on two hits. He struck out three and hit a batter.
Macomb upped its record to 21-11 on the season.
The No. 4 sub-sectional seeded Bombers were slated to face No. 6 seed and regional host Eureka (1518) in Thursday’s Class 2A regional semifinal.
Wednesday’s semifinal had top-seeded Illini West (26-7) defeating Canton (1022-1) 7-5.
Canton edged El Paso-Gridley (11-20) 7-6 in Monday’s opening-round contest, scoring twice in the bottom of the seventh.
Monmouth-Roseville, a number six sub-sectional seed, slipped to 14-15 on the season.
The Titans also were slated to enter Class 2A regional semifinal play Thursday at Princeton against No. 3 seed Spring Valley Hall (24-10-1).
Wednesday’s semifinal had No. 2 seed Rock Island Alleman (21-15) defeating No. 10 seed Kewanee High (4-28) 7-3.
The Boilermakers downed No. 7 seed Princeton (8-21) 10-5 in Monday’s opening round.
The winner of the Eureka regional will face the winner of the Princeton regional in semifinal play in Chillicothe on June 3 at 6:30 p.m.
The first semifinal will have the champion of the Mercer County regional facing the winner of the Farmington regional at 4 p.m.
Semifinal Wednesday at Farmington had (2) Brimfield/Elmwood (29-5) edging (7) LVC (18-14) 1-0 before (5) Peoria Christian (18-14) beat (3) Farmington (19-9-1) 12-11.
LVC defeated West Hancock (7-19) 8-1 in Monday’s opening round.
At Aledo, (1) Rockridge (28-7) downed Mercer County (4-21) 11-1 in Wednesday’s semifinal before (4) Peru (St. Bede) (23-12) played (5) Chillicothe (Illinois Valley Central) (15-16) on Thursday.
Mercer County beat No. 8 seed Sherrard (7-20) 8-6 in Monday’s opening round.
All regional title games are scheduled for Saturday.
Eureka’s title game will begin at 1 p.m. while the other regional finals are scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.
