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CAMBRIDGE -- Buckeye Trail had an opportunity to pull away from Harrison Central early on Monday.
The second-seeded Warriors led 2-1 with the bases loaded in the bottom of the first inning, but failed to add on during that frame.
It foreshadowed what lied ahead in the Division III district semifinal at Cambridge's Don Coss Stadium.
The missed opportunities by Buckeye Trail allowed the fourth-seeded Huskies to rally for a 6-4 win behind clutch hitting and the steady pitching of Wyatt Pierce.
Harrsion Central advanced to face top seed Fort Frye, a 1-0 winner over Garaway, in the district final at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Buckeye Trail, while the Warriors finished 19-5.
Pierce scattered nine hits, walked five and struck out four in the complete game victory, and Treston Nemeth delivered the go-ahead RBI double in the sixth for the Huskies, who have responded to adversity all season, noted HC coach Mike Valesko.
"That's a really good team we just beat. They're well-coached, and they were ready to play," Valesko said. "We kept competing. It's what we've talked about all season. Our schedule has prepared us, and we've been in pressure situations before. Our guys never flinched and stayed confident."
The Warriors stranded 11 runners, including leaving the bases loaded in the sixth and two in the seventh. The inability to get to Pierce in crucial moments were the difference, said Trail coach Cory McQuain.
"They got the timely hits, and we didn't," McQuain lamented. "I have to credit Pierce for working out of those jams. We've struggled against guys who don't throw hard, and he kept us off-balance all night."
The Huskies struck first, as walks to Kaden Jurosko and Nemeth set up a scoring opportunity in the first. Jurosko stole third and came home on Tucker Snyder's sac fly made it 1-0.
Tyler Harrell reached on a one-out error and Braden Williams followed with a double to get the Warriors going in the home half of the first. Harrell scored on a passed ball, and two batters later, Cannon Clum singled in Williams for a 2-1 lead. Nick Neuhart followed with a single to load the bases, but Pierce induced an infield fly and a flyout to center to limit the damage.
The Warriors added two in the third. Williams led off with a walk and Clum singled, setting up Neuhart's run-scoring single to right that brought home Garrett Burga. Issac Beaver followed with a RBI sac fly to plate Clum for a 4-1 lead.
Harrell delivered a two-out double in the fourth, but the Warriors couldn't bring him in, while the Huskies got to Williams in the fifth. Kayden Dunkle and Nemeth drew back-to-back walks with one out then Snyder and Jace Madzia followed with back-to-back singles to score Dunkle and Nemeth. Neuhart then relieved Williams, but hit Braden Cook then walked Anthony Pelegreen with the bases loaded to help Harrison Central tie the game at 4.
Neuhart fanned the next two to keep the game even, but the Huskies kept their offensive surge going in the sixth. Jurosko led off with a walk, and Nemeth doubled him home with one out. Nemeth then stole third and came home on Snyder's groundout.
Buckeye Trail threatened over the next two innings. Sammy Brown hit a one-out single, Cale Gazda drew a one-out walk and Harrell walked with two outs to load the bases in the sixth, but Pierce fanned the next batter to end the inning.
Neuhart and Beaver had two-out singles in the seventh, but a strikeout by Pierce ended the game and season for the Warriors.
Williams suffered the loss, allowing four runs on six hits with six walks and five strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings, while Neuhart gave up two runs on one hit with four walks and two strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings of relief.
Neuhart also went 3-for-4 and Clum added a pair of singles for the Trail offense.
"Braden has pitched in tough situations for us all season, but they got those timely hits," McQuain said. "Our guys battled and fought. We still had chances in the sixth and seventh, but we just couldn't come through."
Snyder had two of the Huskies' seven hits and Nemeth scored twice, along with his go-ahead RBI double.
Valesko praised this group for getting back to the district final. A year ago, the Huskies were four outs away from the district title, but Ridgewood rallied to steal it from them.
"The guys kept Wyatt up, and he threw strikes. Our bats came through at the right time," he said. "We've been talking about getting back for 12 months, and we never shied away from it. I'm happy this group gets another chance at it."