DesotoExplorer.com

De Soto had its share of chances on the ball diamond May 14, but the big hit proved evasive and the Wildcats lost to Spring Hill, 1-0, in the bottom of the eighth inning.

The loss eliminated De Soto from the regional tournament after advancing into the semifinals.

Led by a strong performance by sophomore pitcher Daniel Peterson, De Soto was neck-in-neck with the now 19-3 Broncos before two base hits and a passed ball in the eighth led to a sacrifice fly that ended the Wildcats season.

Peterson took control of the game after giving up a couple of hits in the first inning. He settled down and, on the day, allowed no runs on four hits in five and two-thirds innings.

"I couldn't be prouder," coach Joel Thaemert said. "Nobody deserved to lose that game."

De Soto had runners in scoring position in the sixth and seventh innings but couldn't come up with the big hit when it needed it most.

In the sixth, Brady Maasen reached on an error with two outs, and Erik Hill followed with a base hit that deflected off the diving first baseman's mitt. Logan Clark was hit by a pitch, loading the bases and bringing Dylan Burford to the plate. Burford went down on strikes and ended the threat.

Eric Buffkin reached on a catcher's interference call with one out in the top of the seventh, and nine-hole hitter Shane Miller laid a sacrifice bunt down the third base line. Spring Hill elected to intentionally walk the Wildcats' leadoff hitter, Travis Crow, putting runners on first and second with two outs for Paul Oswald.

Tommy Elmer, pinch-hitting for Oswald, went down on three consecutive strikes.

The Broncos had a sophomore of their own on the mound, and Thaemert gave him credit.

"He was outstanding, wow," he said. "It was impressive. He just brought it to us. We had chances though. All we needed was one hit, and we couldn't get it done."

On De Soto's side of the pitching matchup, Peterson left the game with two out in the sixth with runners on first and third. Burford came in the ball game and got out of the jam, retiring a Spring Hill pinch-hitter on a popup to center. He then made quick work of the Broncos in the seventh, throwing four pitches and inducing two fly balls and a grounder.

Then in the eighth, Spring Hill's meat of the order got to him with the number three and four-hole hitters reaching on line shots to left. A passed ball brought the infield and outfield in to try to cut down the runner, and Spring Hill's fifth batter in the order lifted a fly ball to center and the runner beat Jerin Riffel's throw to the plate on a close play.

That sealed a shot at the regional championship for Spring Hill and ended the Wildcats' season.

De Soto's final record for 2008 is 12-9.

Kansas City Bishop Ward (19-4) beat Spring Hill, 5-1, in the regional championship. Bishop Ward plays Friday against Ottawa (11-11) in the opening round of the state tournament.