Sue Sitter/PCT Rugby’s Logan Harner celebrates a go-ahead run against Bottineau as he crosses home plate May 23 in the semifinal round of the Region 5 Baseball Tournament in Cando.

A 7-6 end-season loss against the Bottineau Braves knocked the Rugby Panthers down from first place in region 5 baseball, sending the Panthers on a free fall before they found their footing again in Cando May 24.

The Panthers traveled to Cando May 22 for post-season regional playoffs to begin their climb back toward the top. Their hosts, the number one seed North Star Bearcats, waited for them in the championship round.

During regular season play, Panthers Coach Travis Risovi referred to North Star, Bottineau and Rugby as “evenly matched” teams. The battle at regionals proved him correct.

In the semifinals, Bottineau met Rugby again, leaping out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning.

The Braves held onto their lead for the entire game, although Rugby stayed within striking distance early. Rugby put two runners on walks, and even though the Braves eliminated two with a double play, Brody Schneibel managed to bat a runner in on a short grounder that rolled past third base.

The double play did more than give the Panthers two outs. A fast throw to first hit Rugby batter Jacob Ripplinger in his knee as he tried to step on the bag. He would limp for the rest of the game.

The run from the Bottineau error kept the Panthers close to the Braves for three innings.

Pitchers Eli Bristol and Logan Harner started the game for Bottineau and Rugby, but pitching changes began in the fourth inning due to mounting errors.

The Braves stretched their lead to 6-1 in the fourth inning on one Panthers error. Two hits went to Bottineau despite the error. Rugby remained without an official hit in the books.

A double to deep left field by Bottineau batter Rowan Cheshire extended the Braves’ lead to 7-1 before a single by Kaden Bristol gave the Braves another.

The Panthers scored another run on errors after a walk and pitching errors brought Harner home. Ripplinger’s next time at bat resulted in another ding with a baseball, this time from a wild pitch. He limped to first base, and Assistant Coach Jeremy Johnston put in a pinch runner.

The second run on errors was Rugby’s last for the quarterfinals. Bottineau would extend its lead by two more runs, winning the game 10-2.

Bruised and battered, the Panthers set their sights on redemption and found it with two wins in the next two tournament rounds, first over Harvey-Wells County by 10-0 hours after the loss to Bottineau, then by 10-0 over Northern Lights May 23.

Before the win against Northern Lights, the Braves fell to North Star 7-3.

Both battle-worn, the Braves and the Panthers squared off in the last game of the evening for a second chance at the championship round.

Rugby’s Brody Schneibel stepped onto the pitcher’s mound. An error by Rugby in the first inning put Bottineau’s Carson Haerer on base, setting up an early Braves lead. Two runs batted in by Jake Hennings and Eli Bristol put Bottineau ahead 2-0.

A hard grounder hit by Bottineau’s Colton Getzlaff bounced off Logan Harner’s wrist at second base. Harner winced in pain. Getzlaff stayed put on second.

Rugby shored up its defense, putting the next three Braves batters down quickly.

Bottineau added to its lead in the third inning with an RBI by Eli Bristol.

Rugby’s next time at bat began with Harner suffering another ding by a baseball at home plate. He walked to first, then took second on a wild pitch. Another pitch hit batter Brody Schneibel, setting up a two-RBI single by Erik Foster, the first official hit against Bottineau in three games.

When Brody Schneibel’s brother Austin suffered another ding with a baseball at bat, the bases filled up again. With bases loaded, the tying run walked across the plate.

Rugby’s defense stayed sharp. Center fielder Macen Heisler dove for a catch to deep in the outfield, coming up with the ball and landing on his wrist. Injuries mounted up for Rugby, but the team played on.

Both teams held onto the tie until the sixth inning, when Ripplinger connected with a pitch to land a triple in deep left field, batting in three runs. Brody Schneibel followed with a single RBI.

With no outs, Rugby led 7-3.

Batter Dylan Bartsch followed with another RBI single. Next, Tatum Risovi batted in the Panthers’ ninth run after his hit bounced past third base. A final RBI by Harner gave Rugby its 10th and final run.

Bottineau managed one run in the game’s final inning, but Rugby’s defense stayed determined, allowing just one hit in four batters.

The 10-3 win advanced Rugby to the championship round May 24.

After the May 23 win against Bottineau, Risovi said baseball “can change in one inning. It’s one of those games that you have to keep your head in and keep working.”

“We finally got through and scored seven,” he added. “Brody gave up some runs at the beginning, but he settled down and pitched better and defensively, we played better. And really, that’s what got us to this point, defense and pitching. So, it was good to see.”

The Panthers would square off against the North Star Bearcats May 24. Although Rugby had won 3-1 against North Star in a regular season game, Risovi said he expected a battle against the reigning Region 5 champions, who’ve sent teams to state for the past three years.

Results from the final round of the regional tournament will appear in the June 3 Pierce County Tribune.