One bad inning derailed the Eastside Catholic Crusaders baseball team’s quest to reach the Class 3A state quarterfinals.

The Crusaders led the Central Kitsap Cougars 4-2 after four innings  but saw the Cougars record four runs in the fifth inning, taking a 6-4 lead. The Crusaders wouldn’t record a run in the final three innings and the Cougars hung on for a 6-4 win in first round of the Class 3A state tournament on May 23 in Yelm. Crusaders’ head coach Kyle Larsen said things just didn’t go according to plan for his squad.

“They scored a couple of their runs with two outs. It was just one of those things in state where you have to have the ball bounce your way. Unfortunately for us, it just didn’t go our way on Saturday,” Larson said.

The Crusaders finished the 2015 season with an overall record of 21-4.

“I told the guys to keep their heads up. They accomplished so much this season. It is tough right at that moment after you get knocked out of the tournament because your season comes to an end so fast,” Larsen said. “If I told these guys going into this season that we would finish the regular season 18-2 and make it to state they would have been super excited about it.  Unfortunately it didn’t end the way we wanted it to but we still accomplished a lot.”

The Crusaders senior class consists of Addison Hull, Kollin Malsam, Billy Dimlow, Alec Baer, Colton Mahovlich, Jake Nealon, Brooks Meadowcroft, Griffin Mueller, Matt Kvech and John Kellum.

“Those guys had an amazing run and did so much for the program. It was kind of my first group of seniors that I have watched grow and mature since their freshman years on and off the field,” Larsen said.