It was a heartbreaker in Latta on Wednesday night as the Latta Vikings fell short, 3-2, against the St. Joseph’s Knights in the 2014 Class A State Championship series.

St. Joseph’s led the series 1-0 after a shut-out 4-0 win over the Vikings in Greenville on Monday, and only needed one more win to claim the title heading into Wednesday’s game.

The Knights took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a single from Nick Leonard. Josh Bowen led off with a single for Latta in the bottom of the inning and advanced to third, but was left stranded when Donell Stanley ground out.

Latta tied things 1-1 in the third with Colby Lee reaching on a hit through the gap in first and second. Avery Berry bunted to advance Lee, and a single from Josh Bowen scored the tying run. Jackson Williams got a base hit, and Donell Stanley hit one up the middle to load the bases, but John Kever Love ground out to end the inning.

St. Joseph’s Nick Leonard tripled in the top of the fourth to break the tie and scored on a single from Angelo Pahila to put the Knights up 3-1.

With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Latta’s Jackson Williams scored after John Kever Love reached on a fielding error from Leonard to leave the Vikings trailing 3-2. St. Joseph’s switched pitchers, sending in Ryan Stamler to replace starter Graham Roberts. Latta’s Christian Hendrix was next up at bat and hit a shot toward the gap that could’ve tied the game, but St. Joseph’s Sean McDermott ran it down for the out, and Stamler struck out Eric McGirt to end the threat with a runner left on base. Stamler then held off Latta through an easy seventh to preserve the win and earn the Knights the title.

Nick Leonard went 3-for-3 with a triple and two RBI to lead the Knights. Ryan Stamler and Graham Roberts each struck out two on the mound for St. Joseph’s in the win.

Josh Bowen and Jackson Williams each had two hits for Latta, and Bowen picked up one runner. Colby Lee had one hit and scored one run for the Vikings. John Kever Love struck out seven on the mound for Latta and gave up eight hits.

The Vikings finished with a 22-5 record as the fell to the Knights in the state series for the second year in a row. St. Joseph’s finished with a 23-4 record for the season.

Latta Head Coach Don Cribb said that Latta’s big innings weren’t quite big enough. He noted that the Knights didn’t give the Vikings many opportunities in the win, but Latta took advantage of the ones they had.

“I’m so proud of the way they played,” Cribb said.

St. Joseph’s Head Coach J.B. Barwick noted that it was a good game. “Both teams played their hearts out, which is the way you want it.”

Photos by Mark King/THE DILLON HERALD. Click the images below to view at full size!