The game between Attica and Fountain Central started as a runaway but ended up coming down to a single pitch when the Ramblers fell to the Mustangs by a 10-9 score.

Attica led 9-8 going into the bottom of the seventh inning with the Mustangs coming up to bat.

Wyatt Clark walked and the next batter struck out but saw Clark steal second base.

The ensuing batter grounded out with Clark still on second causing Attica head coach Brian Driver to play the odds by walking a strong batter in Ayden Batchelor to create a force play at any base only to see a passed ball allow the runners to move to second and third.

Once again, Driver played the odds and walked another strong hitter in Joan Cervantes to load the bases and create a force out anywhere.

Unfortunately for his team, the ploy failed as Paul Adams came to the plate, got to a two-strike count against him – meaning the Ramblers were one pitch away from a win – only to see the Mustang junior slap a ball into short center field to drive in two runs to win the game 10-9.

The contest started as if it would be an easy Attica win as the Ramblers started with three runs in the top of the first inning.

Luke Blankenship reached as a hit batsman but was erased on the next play when he tried to reach second base.

Hayden Elliott, Karson Lovell-Ramey and Jayce Larson followed with singles to make it 1-0 and after another out, Tristan Miller and Seth Himes singled for a 3-0 score before the final out of the inning.

Attica had a second three-run inning in their next at-bats, getting singles from Cullen Driver, and Blankenship, a Mustang error a walk and a passed ball to lead 6-0.

The score stayed that way until the bottom of the third when a walk to Adams, a wild pitch and an Attica error made it 6-1.

The Ramblers matched that single run when they came to the plate in the fourth on a walk to Lovell-Ramey, single by Larson and sacrifice bunt by Bradon Terry and single by Miller made it 7-1.

Fountain Central continued to try to claw back into the game in their half of the fourth as Clark walked only to be erased by a fielder’s choice that put Asher Davis on first followed by a passed ball and another Rambler error that made it 7-2.

Batchelor then singled and Cervantes grounded out to drive in another run for a 7-3 tally.

Attica added a run on three walks and a single in the fifth only to see the Mustangs get five runs in the bottom half of that inning to tie the game at 8-all.

A walk to Nolan Acton was followed by two outs with the Ramblers seemingly in fine shape, but then the sky fell in.

Single by Clark and Davis, an error, a double by Batchelor and a single by Cervantes tied the contest.

Attica regained the lead in the sixth on a walk to Carter Vredenburgh who stole second, reached third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly by Driver for a 9-8 lead.

Fountain Central went down in order in their half of the sixth, as did the Ramblers in the top of the seventh, which led to the dramatic final half inning that decided the game.

With the loss, Attica ended the season with a record of 12-14, but in a year where the squad improved throughout, getting their first sectional win (10-5 over North Vermillion) since taking the 1A sectional title back in 2017.

Coach Driver later posted that he was proud of “our team’s grit and resilience once again, battling back to regain a lead late after we lost momentum” and adding his appreciation for the seniors on the squad.

Riverton Parke will host Fountain Central in the sectional finals for the second year in a row as the Panthers look for their second straight championship while the Mustangs seek their first such title since 2009 when they defeated Clinton Central in 2A ball.

Head coach Adam Acton said he expected his team to fight back, saying that his squad “has a lot of experience in games.”