Rochester baseball came within one win of a state championship baseball appearance. But in the way Saturday night was Illiana Christian looking for a third consecutive championship appearance and they got it with a 12-2 victory over the Zebras at Oak Hill.
That loss left Rochester with both ends of the spectrum when it comes to the emotion of the day. The Zebras (21-11) kept alive their postseason run in the earlier semifinal with a Tanner Reinartz walk-off two-run home run to nip Westview in come-from-behind fashion, 8-7.
That feeling carried over to the semi-state championship when the Zebras jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. But Illiana Christian would score in each of the final four at-bats, taking the lead with three runs in the third and two more in the fourth inning. It was the fifth inning that broke open the game as Illiana Christian scored six times aided by Rochester giving up three straight bases loaded walks in the frame.
Jake Seuferer provided the Rochester offense with a two-run double in the top of the first.
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