By DOUG DONNELLY

Whiteford’s baseball team was six outs away from punching its ticket to the Division 3 state semifinals.

Instead, Bridgman’s bats came alive and the Bobcats were sent home with league, district and regional championship trophies in tow.

“We are not going home disappointed,” Whiteford coach Terry Pant said following the 4-3 loss to the Bees in the Division 3 quarterfinal. “We weren’t expecting to be here.

“At the start of the season, I thought we had a solid chance at the league championship, but I wasn’t sure after that.”

By the end of the season, however, the Bobcats proved to be one of the top teams in Division 3. Whiteford beat Ann Arbor Greenhills 8-3 on Wednesday to advance to Saturday’s regional final at Adrian College. Whiteford put up a couple runs early and beat Jackson Lumen Christi, 5-2, to win the regional championship.

Luke Rasor and Shea Ruddy both 2-for-4 against Lumen Christi with Rasor and Nate Stevens getting two RBIs each.

Logan Tammerine went six innings, striking out six and scatterin six Lumen Christi hits. Brendon Masters came on in relief and got the final three outs, allowing one hit and one earned run.

In Michigan’s state baseball tournament format, the quarterfinals are played immediately after the regional finals. Whiteford and Bridgman were scoreless through five innings in a tight battle on the turf at Nicolay Field.

The Bobcats broke free with three runs in the top of the sixth inning. Shea Ruddy bunted to reach first base to lead off the inning, Tammerine drew a walk and Rasor loaded the bases when he was hit by a pitch.

Stevens singled to center, scoring two. Ryin Ruddy’s bunt single accounted for the third run. Rasor and Stevens each had two hits in the finals.

The Bobcats were six outs away from reaching the semifinals but the Bees strung together four consecutive singles to tie the game. The tying run was scored with two outs.

In extra innings, the Bobcat had runners in scoring position, but couldn’t get the big hit. Bridgman finally scored in the bottom of the ninth inning with a walk off single.

“Tough loss,” Pant said. “That’s all you can say.”

On Wednesday, Whiteford slugged its way to the victory, putting up eight runs against a 22-win Greenhills team. The Bobcats got great pitching from Nate Stevens and Tammerine closed out the game over the final two innings. He also hit a two-run home run over the right centerfield fence.

“He threw me an upper-zone fast ball and I just turned on it,” Tammerine said. “My swing felt smooth.”

The regional title was the seventh in school history and second in the past three seasons. Whiteford has won at least 20 games in seven of the past eight seasons and won back-to-back district and TCC titles.

Next year, a slew of starters will return, including Tammerine, who finished the season with a 10-1 record, 114 strikeouts and a 1.07 ERA. He also hit .391 and led the Bobcats in homeruns (3) and RBI (33). His 114 strikeouts are the second highest single season effort in school history. His 10 wins ties a school record.

The Bobcats had four seniors on the roster this year – Rasor, Jake Giesige, Aiden Cousino and Shea Ruddy. Rasor led the Bobcats in hitting (.422) for the season.