IMS fell to Van Buren 5-2 in the district final to end their season.

IMS had seven hits in the game, but could only string those hits together in the sixth inning when they scored their runs.

Tanner Leyden started the game for IMS, while Tyson Sprouse was the starter for Van Buren, and each kept the game scoreless through two innings, despite giving up some hits, but it was Leyden who gave up the first run, after Brandon Plecker reached on an error, he stole second and was moved over to third off a single by Will Martens. Then the second of three hit batters filled the bases and a walk brought in the first run of the game, and a passed ball made it 2-0 after three.

In the fourth Plecker was up to bat with two outs and drilled one into right center field, but a great relay from Dallas Nye to Cameron Gingerich to Aaron Ockenfels caught Plecker at third and ended the inning. In the fifth, the Warriors put three more on the board on IMS off a lead off walk, and then an RBI double from Saunders made it 3-0. Leyden then hit his third batter of the night to put runners on the corners, but a fielders choice put one down. Leyden threw over to first a lot during the night, but this time he made a illegal move and was caught and a balk scored another run and moved Robert Barker into scoring position at second and he would score off a Sprouse RBI double to make the score 5-0, and Leyden’s night was over, going 5 1/3 innings, giving up five runs, four earned on six hits, walking two, striking out two, hitting three batters and a balk. Reggie Hostetler came in in relief and ended the inning.

IMS made their biggest offensive push in the sixth, off of four straight singles to score Gingerich, and a sacrifice fly to center by Ockenfels scored Hostetler to make the final 5-2 score.

In the bottom of the sixth, Gingerich made the play of the year. With two down Nolan Lydolph decided to steal second, and the throw down from Leyden was high to Gingerich. Lydolph got off the bag at second thinking about taking third, when Gingerich tricked Lydolph into thinking the ball went over his head and Gingerich simply tags him out to end the inning, but despite the play, IMS went down in short order in the top of the seventh for the loss.

Head coach Danny Hershberger said the defense was focused and knew what they had to do against Van Buren.

“The Defense had some great focus tonight, they knew they were going to have to play well, and they came out and really backed up our pitcher and made some real nice defensive plays and some smart baseball plays to keep us in the ball game,” Hershberger said.

Hostetler came in in relief and threw 1 1/3 innings and walked one. At the plate Gingerich went 2-3 with a run, and Dallas Nye was 2-3.

IMS finished their season with a 13-15 record.