The Crofton Bluejays ran into a buzz saw from Wynot during their annual Independence Day game, losing 5-0 on Friday, July 3. They lost again to Wynot last Thursday, July 9 and to Tabor last Sunday, July 12. But sandwiched in between those games was an 11-7 away victory against the Irene Cardinals on Sunday, July 5.
The win at Irene came in spite of being outhit 16 to 14 by the Cardinals. The Jays offense got going when Andy Knapp hit a single in the fourth inning, scoring Seth Wiebelhaus. In the top of the sixth, Mitchell Steffen singled on a fly ball to right field, scoring Colton Schieffer and giving Crofton the 2-0 lead.
Irene added a run in the bottom of the sixth and another run in the bottom of the seventh inning. But in the top of the eighth, Tyler Koch hit a two run homer, giving Crofton a 5-2 lead.
By the end of nine innings, it was all knotted up at 5-5. The Jays scored six runs in the top of the eleventh inning and Irene couldn't match it, giving the Jays the win. Austin Gobel went 3-6 with 2 RBIs. Seth Wiebelhaus went 2-6 with 2 RBIs, while Tyler Koch had a homer and 3 RBIs and Andy Knapp added 2 more RBIs of his own.
Brayden Hegge went most of the way for the Jays on the mound, striking out seven over eight and a third innings. Seth Wiebelhaus pitched two and two thirds innings in relief.
That wraps up the regular season for the Jays, with only a few games scheduled for a few other teams in the South Central League before the district tourney. The Jays currently stand at 5-9 and in seventh place in the SCL. Yankton, at 13-1, leads the league, with Tabor at 9-4 in second place.