Posted on Thu, May. 15, 2008

Highlands Christian Academy's baseball team enjoyed every moment of its run to the state final four.

The Knights, however, left Ed Smith Stadium Wednesday wishing they could have stayed in Sarasota a bit longer.

Highlands Christian senior ace Mitchel Buerosse gave up only five hits in seven innings, but lost a 1-0 pitchers' duel to Tallahassee North Florida Christian in a Class 2A state semifinal that lasted 1 hour 45 minutes.

The Knights (18-13) made their first appearance at the state tournament.

''We overcame so much and battled through so many hard games, it felt like the season lasted forever,'' first-year Highlands Christian coach Bruce Charlebois said. ``This game felt like it lasted seven minutes.''

Sophomore lefty Will West kept the Knights' bats in check for most of the game to lead North Florida Christian (25-7), the defending state champion.

Highlands Christian had a couple of chances to tie the score late in the game.

Catcher Ryan Marrow reached base on a fielder's choice and center fielder Ethan Perla was hit by a pitch, giving the Knights runners on first and second with one out in the top of the fifth inning.

On the next at-bat, a wild pitch by West prompted the runners to try to advance. Marrow reached third safely, but when sliding into the base, he slipped off the bag and was tagged out by Eagles third baseman Eric Sauls.

''I felt like he gave me a bit of a shove as I finished sliding,'' Marrow said.

Second baseman Jon Ruiz followed the play with a single to right field that moved Perla to third, but shortstop Peter Graffeo grounded out to second to end the inning.

Senior J.R. Pryor led off the top of the sixth with a single, and freshman Jason Hepple reached on an error by North Florida Christian shortstop Tyson Workman.

But Knights left fielder Aaron Rodewald popped up a sacrifice bunt attempt that West caught and turned into a double play by throwing to first baseman Nick Sutton to get Hepple out.

Sophomore Ronnie Bees then lined to center field for the inning's final out.

''We had our chances, but I think we didn't execute when we needed to,'' Ruiz said.

Buerosse, who entered the tournament with a 1.27 ERA, allowed only two base runners over the first three innings. With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, however, he gave up back-to-back singles to Melvin Ray and Bo Walker that drove in Sutton, who singled to lead off the inning.

Charlebois, whose squad graduates only five seniors, said his team didn't feel any added pressure despite playing in a close game in its first state semifinal.

''I think Mitchel pitched the same way he did the whole season and our guys had confidence they could come back if they kept doing the things that got us here,'' he said. ``I think we gave God our best effort.''

Highlands 000 000 0 --0 4 0 N. Fla. Chr. 000 100 x --1 5 1

WP: Will West (6-2). LP: Mitchel Buerosse (5-3).