EPHRATA, Wash. - The run is over.
Poised to take the next step in their Senior Babe Ruth World Series journey, the Charleston Fighting Squirrels were stopped in their tracks Friday evening.
Charleston lost 1-0 in a rematch with Cape Cod, Massachusetts during the tournament semifinals, ending a streak of 14-straight wins and a perfect showing of four-straight victories on the national stage.
The Squirrels gave up the one and only run of the game in the top of the first inning. From there, opportunities to score runs were too few.
Even when presented a chance, the Squirrels couldn't muster their recent postseason magic.
"We needed a break that we just couldn't create," Charleston head coach Michael Minner said.
Starter Austin Hicks gave the Squirrels the pitching they needed. He threw a complete game, giving up four hits, striking out six and walking one.
The decision to start Hicks over Trey McDaniel, the program's ace who was on five days rest, wasn't a question for Minner.
"[Hicks] was phenomenal," Minner said. "Some people may question the start, putting him over Trey McDaniel, but he was awesome and was absolutely dealing. He's a gamer. You hate to see a kid lose that game."
A shaky top of the first saw the Bell City hurler give up three singles to Cape Cod, which led to the one-run difference.
Charleston was held to five singles, two by Hicks, by Cape Cod starter Mike Doherty. Doherty didn't allow a runner in scoring position until the fourth inning and received a big boost from his defense to help keep the Squirrels at bay.
"We just didn't get the big hit today," Minner said. "That kid [Doherty] made big pitch after big pitch. When you get to the World Series, I always tell my guys, you have to win a 2-1 ball game. That was our scenario and we just couldn't get it done."
The first of three chances for Charleston to push a run across came in the bottom of the fifth. A two-out single by Hicks sent Jason Jarrell galloping towards home from second base, but the relay throw to the plate and the tag to his back met before Jarrell could cross.
"I got Jarrell thrown out at the plate," Minner said. "That was a situation where you have to make them throw you out, and they did."
A leadoff single by pinch-hitter Jared Moses kicked things off in the bottom of the sixth. A bunt single by Cole Nichols led to a sacrifice bunt by Ty Householder to give the Squirrels two runners in scoring position with one out.
But a strikeout from Braden Cox and a fly ball to center field from Trey McDaniel ended that chance.
Charleston managed to put Wyatt Pratt at second in their final at-bat, but the big hit eluded them one last time.
"We had three innings where we had a chance to tie," Minner said. "I feel like if we would have scored just one, it would have changed our fate. If we get a base hit and win this one 2-1, we win it all. No doubt about it."
The Squirrels were the hottest club at the 10-team World Series since Saturday's opening day. They were the only team to go 4-0 in pool play, including a 10-3 win over Cape Cod just a few days earlier. That feat secured a No. 1 seed in the American Pool, which gave them an automatic bid to the semifinal.
"For us to finish the pool 4-0 was a tremendous feat for us and a huge step for our program," Minner said. "This was the year we could make that run, but things just didn't fall our way. I'm still extremely proud of this group."
Friday's semifinal was the closest Charleston has come to playing for a World Series title in four appearances. A win over Cape Cod would have vaulted the Squirrels into the championship game on Saturday.
Charleston ends the season with a 43-7 record.
"This season was second to none," Minner said. "This was a great group of baseball kids with baseball parents who were just phenomenal all season long. They represented southeast Missouri and Charleston as good as anyone could. I'm so proud to call those kids my family and wish nothing but the best for each of them."