Petersen era ends as Spartans fall to CR-B

 COON RAPIDS -- When it was all said and done Thursday night - after seven innings of pressure-packed baseball, his final postgame huddle and media interviews - Tony Petersen received just the right medicine when he was mobbed by hugs from his young grandchildren.
 Perhaps this retirement gig won’t be so bad after all.
 Following 32 seasons and 513 coaching victories - all at Elk Horn-Kimballton and Exira-EHK - Petersen’s final game was a gut-wrencher as Coon Rapids-Bayard scored twice in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally past the Spartans, 3-2, in a Class 1-A district semifinal.
 The 7th-ranked Crusaders improved to 27-9 and also beat Audubon 13-3 Saturday night to qualify for Tuesday’s Substate 8 final vs. Tri-Center.
 Exira-EHK, meanwhile, finished 13-7, managing just two singles and a handful of walks after Drew Buckholdt’s two-run homer gave Sparty a prompt 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.