Two close wins keep Fike alive

Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Just ask the Blue Spring Post 499/Fike American Legion baseball team.
The team plays another day in the Fifth District Tournament because of a pair of gut-wrenching 9-8 wins over the Lee’s Summit Post 189 Auxiliary Outlaws and Raytown Post 596 in losers’ bracket games Thursday at Hidden Valley Park.
Weather permitting, Fike takes on Independence Post 21 at 5 p.m. today in the loser’s bracket final. The winner then faces the Blue Springs Rod’s Sports A’s at 8 for the championship. If the A’s lose, another game would be necessary at 5 p.m. Saturday to decide the winner.
Danny McMurtrey doubled to lead off the top of the ninth inning and scored on a throwing error to give Fike the win over Raytown. Blaine Hines then struck out the side in the bottom of the inning to earn the save.
Sam Engle, who relieved starter Lucas Jensen in the seventh inning, was the winning pitcher. Engle also earned a save in the victory over the Outlaws.
“It was very surprising today,” Engle said. “You never know what will happen. It was one of my most exciting days ever. Every tournament our slogan is, ‘Win and advance.’ ”
Raytown rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning for an 8-7 lead.
“I got a little tired,” Jensen said after being replaced by Engle in the inning. “But I’ll take the win. Engle likes to do that with me (be the winning pitcher).”
Fike tied the score in the eighth. Stephan Keele singled, moved to second on Daniel Segalo’s sacrifice and scored on Stephen Montisano’s single.
Cody Robinson, the fourth Raytown pitcher, suffered the loss after working the final two innings.
McMurtrey finished with three hits and Montisano and Keele added two each for Fike (28-18).
Danny Apgar had three hits and Chase Kuehl and Zach Wrehe contributed two each for Raytown, which finishes its season at 19-36.
In the win over the Outlaws, Fike scored seven runs in the fourth inning on three hits, one walk, three hit batters and an error to take a 9-4 lead before holding off an Outlaws rally.
Engle relieved starter Kirk Huismann in the eighth inning to earn the save as the Outlaws rallied for three runs in the eighth and one in the ninth but left two runners stranded when the game ended.
The Outlaws, who finished 24-21, wasted a 19-hit attack, including four from Stevenson Urick and three each from Jeremy Guzman, Daniel Fuchs and Austin Hill.
Michael Stroup powered Fike with three hits. McMurtrey, Keele, Engle and Segalo each had two. Segalo also had four RBIs, including a two-run double in the decisive fourth inning.
“We rolled with the pair of nines,” Fike manager Jim Moran said. “We had clutch hits all up and down the lineup. The seven-run inning with the Outlaws was huge.
“We talked about coming with Hines if we got the lead. I was proud of our team. The top three teams that are left are the same as last year.”
RAYTOWN POST 596 9, LEE’S SUMMIT POST 189 PIRATES 4: Raytown erupted for five runs in the fifth inning on the way to eliminating the Pirates.
Tom Maloney relieved starter Mike Lynch in the fourth inning for the win. Jacob Parker went the distance for the Pirates.
Chase Kuehl and Zach Wrehe each singled twice for Raytown.