The Greenwood baseball team’s postseason hopes seemed to disappear in a flash Tuesday night.

The No. 14 Gators (28-9) battled through a scoreless stalemate for 5 1/2 innings against No. 17 Russell County, but the Lakers scored three runs with just one hit in the sixth to pull out a 3-0 win in the Region 4 Tournament semifinals at Western Kentucky University’s Nick Denes Field.

“We just didn’t get it done, and Russell County had a lot to do with that,” Greenwood coach Jason Jaggers said. “Our guys fought and battled the whole time, and it just wasn’t enough. Credit these seniors and the whole team – they never quit. We fought to the bitter end, and that’s what I’m going to remember.”

The game was shaping up as a pitchers’ duel between Russell County’s Taylor Grider and Greenwood’s Dexter Cline until Russell County (27-10) broke through in the sixth.

The Lakers advance to face Logan County, which shut out Glasgow in Tuesday’s early semifinal, at 6:30 p.m. today in the championship at WKU.

“We kept getting runners in scoring position and couldn’t come through,” RCHS coach David Rexroat said. “I felt like we were on (Cline) all night as far as hitting the baseball, and finally in the last few innings we got to him.”

After Russell County’s Tyler Robertson started the bottom of the sixth with a walk, Garrett Stephens reached base on a fielder’s choice when Cline unsuccessfully tried to get the force out at second.

Jalen Bennett loaded the bases with a bunt single, and Brett Kimbler was hit by a pitch with one out to make it 1-0.

The Gators forced a groundball to second base in the next at-bat, but Stephens was ruled safe on the play at home. Jaggers was told by the umpire that Stephens didn’t initially touch the plate, he said, but that Greenwood catcher Kent Smith didn’t touch the plate before Stephens returned.

The Lakers scored their final run on an error.

“Sometimes you don’t get the calls to go your way, but we didn’t make the plays,” Jaggers said. “I don’t think they got the ball out of the infield, and that’s unfortunate that they scratch three across and we don’t get it done.”

Greenwood threatened in the seventh with a single by senior left fielder Chris Hardin and a double by senior first baseman Trevor Brewer, and the Lakers turned the ball over to the senior ace Robertson with runners at second and third and one out.

Robertson – who’s been dealing with a minor injury to his throwing arm, Rexroat said – hit 88 mph on WKU’s radar gun with his first pitch and struck out the final two batters to record the save.

“He wanted the baseball,” Rexroat said. “He’s a five-year starter, and we wanted him there.”

The sophomore Grider was Russell County’s star before that, allowing three hits with four strikeouts over 61/3 innings for the win.

“I didn’t have all my stuff tonight, but what I did have, I was throwing it pretty good,” Grider said.

The senior Cline took the loss, surrendering four hits and a walk in six innings with three strikeouts. This year is the first since the tournament moved to WKU in 2007 that a District 14 team hasn’t made the championship game.

Greenwood graduates eight seniors in Cline, Brewer, Hardin, Smith, Stephen Bratcher, Tanner Kirby, Jake Riley and Austin Tibbs. The Gators were trying to reach their first title game since 2008.

“They’ve done more for this program than they’ll ever know,” Jaggers said. “They were part of a group that got split up when the schools split (with the formation of South Warren High School), and they fought through a lot of adversity. They brought this program back.”

GHS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 3 2

RCHS 0 0 0 0 0 3 x – 3 4 1

WP: Grider LP: Cline S: Robertson

Logan County 2, Glasgow 0

The Cougars (25-10) used a gem from pitcher Caleb Bruner and a key hit by senior Gage Hales to take down Glasgow and reach their first region title game since 2000.

“Caleb’s performance was awesome, and the defense was great when it had to be,” LCHS coach Ethan Meguiar said. “I’ve been up here watching games the last couple of days, and it’s all about pitching and defense. We’re getting it right now.”

The sophomore Bruner struck out eight batters over seven innings, allowing two hits and a walk. He also went 2-for-3 at the plate.

“I came out and threw the ball well and had a great defense behind me,” Bruner said. “Everything just fell into place.”

After senior second baseman Ryan Basham reached on an error and senior first baseman Thomas Miller singled in the fifth, the Cougars moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt.

Hales – the left fielder – then rapped a two-out single to right field that plated the game’s only runs. LCHS strung together three hits in the fourth but had a runner thrown out at the plate.

“I had faith in our hitting, and I knew it would come around,” Bruner said.

Junior JT Green took the loss for Glasgow (22-15), allowing seven hits over six innings.

Logan County will likely start sophomore Hunter Britt (6-1, 1.83 ERA) today against Russell County. The teams didn’t meet in the regular season.

“With the draw we’ve got, we’re just happy to be in the final game,” Meguiar said. “That’s what we wanted. When you get there, anything can happen.”

GHS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 2 1

LCHS   0 0 0 0 2 0 x – 2 7 0

WP: Bruner LP: Green

— Zach Greenwell covers prep sports for the Bowling Green Daily News. Follow him at twitter.com/zach_greenwell or visit bgdailynews.com.