DONNELLSON — It all came down to one hit.

“If that one hit is a big one, it could change the game,” Central Lee coach Shane Weirather said.

It was a one ball, one strike count with one out with two on in the bottom of the seventh inning of a Super Conference South Division baseball game between Danville and Central Lee high schools.

Gage Van Ausdall rips the pitch to center field for a double and a 2-1 Hawks victory.

“I didn’t feel nervous at all,” Van Ausdall said. “I just went up there confident. Very eager to win the game. He gave me an outside fastball and I kind of took it that way. But it takes a team to win a game.”

Kayden Calfee had singled with one out in the seventh and Chase Johnson drew a walk.

“We played a little funny business on the bases to our advantage,” Weirather said of the steal that got Calfee to third base. “Then Gage got the big hit. I didn’t consider a squeeze or anything with the new pitcher.”

Jaden Bauer had thrown every pitch for Danville but the last three, which were thrown by Alex Holtkamp.

Bauer struck out seven, walked one and gave up six hits and two earned runs.

“Bauer pitched a great game for them,” Weirather said. “They are going to compete in their district with him on the mound. Their catcher (Carter Gaster) threw a couple guys out that cut down our scoring chances. It’s hard to recover from that.”

Brayden Wyrick started for the Hawks and gave up a lone hit in four and two-thirds innings. He gave up an unearned run, walked one and struck out six in just his second start this year.

“I was trying to find the zone and I knew the ump liked the pitches low and away so I tried to put them there,” Wyrick said. “I used my four-seam fastball and my curve ball kept going outside so I got some strikes from that. Last time we played I closed the game so I knew they didn’t like my curve.”

Kellen Weber threw the last two and a third innings with no hits but three walks and struck out five for the win.

Calfee hit a two-out single in the bottom of the fourth inning for Central Lee and then stole second on the first pitch to Johnson. Johnson hits a bloop single to the edge of the outfield that scores Calfee for a 1-0 Central Lee lead.

Deken Huff had the Danville hit in the top of the fifth inning. Zander Stotlar bunted and ended up on second with Huff on third base due to a Central Lee error. Addison Clayton’s ground out tied the game at 1-1.

“We have the potential to play a game like that at any time,” Danville coach Tony Naylor said. “We need to work on our hitting but we did play solid defense and we had solid pitching. I hate to lose but I’m proud of how the kids played, earning respect and it’s something to build on.”

Danville is 1-18, 1-11 in the South and plays at Moravia to start the postseason Saturday. Naylor formerly coached Twin Cedars, which is in the same league as Moravia, to a state title and a runner-up finish in 2014-15.

Central Lee is 17-4 overall, 9-3 in the South and played Keokuk Wednesday. The Hawks start the 2A postseason Tuesday at Chariton against either Wilton or Winfield-Mount Union.

“We are playing really well right now,” Weirather said. “I feel like we are hitting our stride.”