Crusaders’ late rally again foils Spartans

 ANITA (July 10) -- For six and one-third innings Tuesday, the tougher the situation was the better Cole Burmeister pitched for Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton.
 Locked in a district duel with Coon Rapids-Bayard’s Christian Cook, the Spartan junior scored his team’s only run in the third and blanked the Crusaders for six gutsy innings on the mound.
 Unfortunately for Exira-EHK, Burmeister’s gem went for naught in the end as a high pitch count, some shaky defense and a lack of hitting all contributed to yet another postseason baseball loss to CR-B.
 The Crusaders tied the score in the bottom of the seventh on Trenton Golay’s sacrifice fly, which also ended Burmeister’s night on the mound due to the single-game pitch count limit of 110.
 With Trevor Lucht on second and one out, Aaron McAlister then struck a fly ball off reliever Josh Pettepier that left fielder Stephen Malloy was unable to catch, allowing Lucht to score and giving CR-B a 2-1 walkoff win in the Class 1A district quarterfinal game at Anita.
 Coon Rapids-Bayard (17-14) ended the Spartans’ season for the fourth straight year and the fifth time in the last seven. Exira-EHK, which was rebuilding this summer from the loss of eight seniors a year ago, finished 7-13.

   Exira-EHK will lose just two seniors off the roster in first baseman Cole Madsen (.344, 17 RBI) and left fielder Stephen Malloy (.170, two home runs). Miller is also excited to have his top five pitchers from this season set to return.