Stevenson¹s Jason Fracassa tags Dakota¹s Brian Marlinga out at second base during a steal attempt during their regional semifinal game at Warren Mott on June 7. Source photo by Kevin Lozon

Leading 1-0 with two out in the top of the seventh inning and a Cougar runner on first base, an infield error by the Titans gave Dakota new life and the Cougars proceeded to get four hits and a walk from their next five hitters, scoring seven runs in the frame, en route to defeating Stevenson 7-2.

“That’s baseball,” Stevenson coach Joe Emanuele said. “I’ve been here long enough to know you have to play every inning. They hit the ball at the end and you have to give Dakota credit. They hit our best.

“Dakota runs well and when you have to hold runners on I think we got ourselves in a little trouble when they got runners in scoring position,” Emanuele added. “When you play a team of Dakota’s caliber, 1-0 might not be enough.”

Stevenson had beaten the Cougars twice during MAC Red Division play, winning 5-4 at Stevenson and 9-0 at Dakota the final week of the regular season.

The Titans opened the scoring in the fifth inning when Jared Biesbrouck walked with one out and moved to second on a passed ball. Following an infield pop out, Trey Larocque singled down the right field line, scoring Biesbrouck.

The score stayed that way until the seventh when with one out, Dakota’s Mitch Lovett singled. Following a fly out to centerfield for the second out, Cougar pitcher Brian Marlinga beat out a ground ball that was bobbled by a Stevenson infielder.

Mike Romanchick followed with a run-scoring single up the middle, driving in Lovett and tying the game at 1-1. Steven Hathaway followed with a walk, before a double by Dan Meurer scored Marlinga and Romanchick, giving Dakota a 3-1 edge. Chris Whitney then singled, scoring Hathaway and Meurer, before Jimmy LaPash capped off the rally with a two-run home run off the left-field foul pole.

Stevenson got one run back in the bottom of the seventh inning when Josh Andreycak homered over the right-centerfield fence, but the Titans wouldn’t get any closer.

Titan starting pitcher Steve Pistono suffered the loss on the hill, allowing eight hits and striking out nine in 6 2/3 innings of work. He fought his way through three bases-loaded jams in the game, but couldn’t get out of the final jam in the seventh.

“Steve is our best and we were going to go with our best all the way. That’s the way it works sometimes,” Emanuele said. “We got ourselves in trouble a few times, but Steve battled hard, though. He’s a warrior and the best I’ve ever coached.”

Offensively, the Titans were led by Andreycak with a home run, while Larocque had a hit and an RBI. Pistono, Joe Fleming and Kyle Alef also had a hit for Stevenson, which ended its season at 31-5 overall.

“It’s not the most wins, but it is the best record,” Emanuele said. “We were 32-6 the year we won the state title, but this team ranks up there with all the rest of them.”

Marlinga earned the win on the mound, going the distance, allowing five hits and striking out two.

Dakota moved on to the regional final where it defeated Royal Oak 9-3, winning the regional championship. The Cougars advanced to last Tuesday’s state quarterfinal game at Bishop Foley, dropping a 3-2 decision to Troy.