The hardest thing to do in baseball is to hit a round ball with a round bat. The second hardest thing might be getting the final out of a game. The Cardinals 2025 season came to a close one out short of a final four trip.
After taking a 5-3 lead in the ninth inning of the decisive third game, the Cardinals got the first two Pirates out. A long throw on ground ball fielded near the third base line behind the bag was half a step late giving the Pirates life. Two walks loaded the bases. One strike away, an 0-2 pitch was driven into left center, clearing the bases and bringing the season to an excruciating end.
The new wrinkle to the MSHSAA playoffs was the best of three series for the quarterfinals. Some numbers to show how grueling this was on both teams this weekend. The two teams played two extra inning games for a total of 27 innings spanning over eight hours of game time. The pitching staffs threw a combined 776 pitches, using 10 different arms. The Cardinals out hit the Pirates 24-21, the Pirates outscored the Cardinals 13-12. The Pirates recorded 78 putouts, Webb City stopped at 77. How important was the coin flip. All three games were won by the home team, twice on walk-offs.
After the 11 inning marathon on Friday night, the Cardinals only needed to win one game on Saturday. In the first game of the day, Webb City was designated as the visitors and wasted no time in putting pressure on as the first two hitters reached base on an Andrew Young single and Mason Williams getting hit by a pitch. The Pirates nearly got out of the inning after turning a double play but then gifted the Cardinals a run by committing two errors on the same play allowing Mason Williams to score the first run.
Platte County got to starter Luke Beverlin in the second inning when they scored three times. A walk and a couple of misplayed bunts loaded the bases. Scoring single runs on an infield fly ball that fell to the turf, a ground ball out and a single put the Pirates ahead 3-1.
Another run in the fourth pushed the Pirate lead to 4-1. Webb City forced a pitching change in the fifth when Andrew Young led off with a double, advancing to third on a fly ball out. Brock Renfro drove in the run with a single. Mason Young hit by a pitch followed by a Luke Beverlin single loaded the bases. Brody Eggleston met the new Pirate hurler with a run scoring fly ball as the Cardinals closed to within a single run at 4-3.
The Cardinals stranded two runners in both the six and seventh inning as the Pirates tied the series at one, forcing a game three.
Andrew Young recorded two hits in the game. Beverlin was tagged with the loss as he went the distance, striking out four and only issuing one free pass.
As the players went to find something to eat or drink, the all important coin flip was held. The Pirates would be home once again.
The Pirates chose to continue with their pitcher that had just finished game two while the Cardinals were able to start Tate Lewis.
Webb City knocked out the Pirate pitcher with a two run uprising in the third inning. Mason Williams was hit to start the inning. Back to back singles from Brock Renfo and Mason Young plated one run. Luke Beverlin was hit a pitch, one of fourteen batters hit in the series, to load the bases. Just as in the previous game, Brody Eggleston welcomed a new Pirate pitcher with a run scoring fly ball and the Cardinals had a 2-0 lead.
Single runs in the fourth by both teams made the score 3-1 in the Cardinals favor.
Platte County caught the Cardinals in the bottom of the sixth and nearly took the lead. Back to back singles in front of a double to left scored the two runs. The Pirates then loaded the bases with only one out. Tate Lewis got the pinch hitter to tap back to the mound and he started a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning all tied up at three.
Neither team was able to score in the seventh or eighth.
Webb City appeared to to be headed to the Final Four as they scored twice in the top of the ninth. Cohen Epler was hit to start the inning and walks to both Andrew Young and Mason Williams loaded the bases with only one out. Brock Renfro broke the stalemate with a sacrifice fly to right, with Mason Young adding an insurance run with a base hit. The Cardinal now led 5-3, needing only three outs to take the series.
The third out was never found.
In the final game Mason Young recorded three hits driving in two runs. Tate Lewis worked eight innings, striking out seven. Coming into the game in the ninth, Chayse Denton was tagged with the loss.
The finality of a season is sudden and success may be hard to see in those moments. However, looking back over the season the Cardinals were able to finish with 20 wins. After beginning 1-6, the Cardinals won 11 games in the month of May, capturing their fourth consecutive district title.