By By SCOTT NOVAK / Niles Daily Star
WYOMING -- A lack of offense cost the Edwardsburg varsity baseball team a shot at reaching the Division 3 state semifinals.
Muskegon Oakridge pitcher Bud Giddings tossed a four-hitter with eight strikeouts on Tuesday to eliminate Edwardsburg from the state tournament, 3-2.
It appeared that it wasn't the Eddies' day as all the breaks, especially early on, seemed to go Oakridge's way.
Oakridge grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Edwardsburg starter Ben Horton walked the leadoff batter.
Horton appeared to have Chad Bisson picked off, however, a bad throw to second base allowed Bisson to advance. Another error by the Edwardsburg first baseman allowed Bisson to score.
The bad luck continued for the Eddies in the third inning when an apparent double play ground ball hit the edge of the infield grass and bounded over the head of second baseman Adam Horn which allowed Bisson to score again.
Muskegon Oakridge (23-4) made it 3-0 in the fifth inning when Giddings walked, stole second and scored on a single by Derik Morehouse.
The Eddies, who finish the year at 26-9, tried to get back into the game in the bottom of the fifth as Oakridge committed three errors to allow Edwardsburg to score both of its runs. Bisson made a bad throw to first with two outs on a ground ball hit by Jeff Mortimore. Two more throwing errors allowed Horn and Moritmore to score.
Horton worked into the third inning before giving way to Zach Rooney and Nathan Peak. Rooney and Peak both pitched on Monday, but Gaideski refused to use that as a reason for the loss.
Muskegon Oakridge now advances to Battle Creek where it will face Homer in the first semifinal at Nichols Field beginning at 10:30 a.m. Shepherd will face Armada in the other semifinal at 10:30 on Morrison Field. The Division 3 state finals will be played on Saturday at 10:30 a.m.