Columbus commits five errors, loses to Creighton Prep 9-6

July 30--OMAHA -- The Columbus Cornerstone Insurance Group Seniors could not hold on to a lead over Creighton Prep in the championship of the National Division of the American Legion Class A State Baseball Tournament.

The Seniors gave up five runs, four of them unearned, on three errors in a crucial seventh inning that helped Creighton Prep secure the lead, and the game, 9-6 Wednesday at Omaha Westside.

Columbus' tournament run has been nothing short of gutsy, coming from behind to win three straight games after a first-round loss, but they couldn't keep it going against a deep Creighton Prep team that has put together a 53-6 record this summer.

Columbus committed five errors, which was as many as in the team's last three games combined.

"If you're looking for a difference, it comes down to that one inning," Seniors head coach Tom Keiser said. "It was defensive execution. You end up kicking yourself because you never want to give a game away, and by no means would I take away from what Prep does, I mean they put pressure on you like crazy. They forced us to crack. When they put pressure on us and when we took a couple punches, and took a few seconds to get our feet back beneath us, I think that was definitely the difference."

Columbus scored three runs in the first inning with the help of Creighton Prep pitching.

Creighton Prep starter Brett Vosik lasted one out before being relieved by Dane Hansen. The two pitchers combined to walk five straight batters, scoring Blake Bubak, Nathan Sliva and Miles Putnam.

Creighton Prep's Brandon Bena hit a solo shot off starting pitcher Bubak in the third inning. Columbus answered in the bottom of the third, when Spencer Humphrey hit a sacrifice fly to score Sliva.

Both teams were scoreless in the next two frames, before Creighton Prep's big inning that involved three infield errors from Columbus.

Lucas Ripa hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth, adding to Creighton Prep's lead.

Trailing 9-4 and down to their last out, Putnam hit a two-run double to left-center field, scoring Bubak and Sliva.

"I think that was exactly what we've seen from these guys for the last three or four years," Keiser said of Putnam's hit. "You knew we weren't going to just go ahead and accept our fate. You knew we were going to continue grinding and keep trying to find some way to get the job done. Unfortunately, it was too steep of a hill to climb because our one inning of defensive lapses."

Bubak finished 2 for 3 with a double and two runs scored, and Sliva added a hit and drew four walks, scoring three times.

The Seniors came into the matchup with depleted pitching, but got solid performances from Bubak, Brenden Martinsen and Dylan Benne. The three pitchers combined to give up four earned runs.

"I thought our guys that came out and pitched, pitched really well to be perfectly honest," Keiser said. "When you come back from the losers bracket like that and you've got a 12-man roster, and you're going up against guys that can really play, you've got a steep road ahead."

The Seniors team featured seven high school seniors. Morton has signed on to play baseball at Creighton University in Omaha, while Sliva will play baseball at Doane College in Crete. Bubak will play football at South Dakota State University.

Keiser will move on to a teaching position in Missoula, Montana, after two years of coaching the Columbus High School baseball team as well as the Seniors and Junior Blues. His future plans do not involve coaching.

"You could never ask for a better group to coach anyways, so if this is the last baseball team that I ever coach, then I'm a dang pretty lucky guy," Keiser said. "I've felt that way for a long time. Not just because we made it to this point."

Keiser stressed that this summer of success was a long time in the making.

"The big thing that I hope sticks in our community, not only with our young kids, but with everyone, is the fact that it was built before this summer," he said. "It was kids that have invested themselves in improving themselves every day for a long time and are willing to be coached, willing to compete and willing to do whatever they can to help us succeed. You have to have kids like that."

Creighton Prep will play Millard South for the Class A state championship Saturday in Omaha.

Wednesday at Omaha Westside

Creighton Prep (53-6) 101 100 501 -- 9 10 1

Columbus (28-15) 301 000 002 -- 6 5 5

-- Pitching: WP -- Dane Hansen; LP -- Dylan Benne

-- Columbus Seniors Leading Hitters: Blake Bubak 2-3 2B, Tyler Morton 1-5, Nathan Sliva 1-1 4 BB, Miles Putnam 1-3 2B.

-- Creighton Prep Leading Hitters: Zac Luckey 2-4, Lucas Ripa 2-5 3B, 2B, Brandon Bena 1-6 HR, Brett Vosik 1-3 2B, Craig Petrich 1-2 2B.

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