News Photo by Ben Murphy Alcona freshman pitcher Evan Borsvold fires in a pitch during Wednesday’s 10-0 loss to Johannesburg-Lewiston in a Division 4 regional semifinal game at Whittemore-Prescott.

WHITTEMORE — Some high school baseball games are decided in the final innings. Some, like Wednesday’s Division 4 regional semifinal between Alcona and Johannesburg-Lewiston at Whittemore-Prescott, are seemingly decided before the first pitch is even thrown.

“It didn’t play out how I wanted it to,” Alcona coach Dru Carson said after his team’s season ending 10-0 five inning loss. “My boys, I don’t know where they were today. It didn’t look like they were in it.”

Johannesburg-Lewiston, which moves on to Saturday’s regional championship game in Rudyard, was all business.

“They played well, they were ready to play, they came prepared,” Carson said. “When I pulled into the parking lot and I got out and walked to the field, they were ready to go, they were having fun, rocking out to some music and having a good time. My guys were out there just walking around, it just didn’t look like my guys were ready to play and Joburg showed up.”

To compound matters, Joburg starting pitcher Riley Mcvannel proved to be a tough assignment for Tiger batters. In the top of the first inning, Gavin Walker and Collin Walker each singled to lead off the game, but the lefty Mcvannel struck out the next three Alcona batters to pitch out of that jam.

The Tigers never really threatened on offense from there.

“Their lefty was hitting his spots and their defense was solid and they were hitting the ball where my guys weren’t,” Carson said. “That is kind of how the game of baseball works sometimes.”

In the bottom of the first, Cardinal leadoff batter Preston Marlatt reached on a walk. After stealing second base, he eventually came in to score on an Alcona throwing error for a quick 1-0 lead.

Joburg plated two more runs in the bottom of the second inning and put the game away with four runs in the bottom of the third and chased Alcona starting pitcher Evan Borsvold out of the game in the process.

Trailing 9-0 in the top of the fifth, Alcona did get Cayden Hebert on with a walk and Ricky Schott beat out a throw to first base for an infield single.

Mcvannel struck out the next two Tiger batters before departing to keep his pitch count down. Marlatt came in relief and ended the inning with another strikeout.

The Cardinals ended the game in the bottom of the fifth. After Owen Borsvold retired the first two batters of the inning, he gave up a single to Marlatt.

Two pitches later, Marlatt stole second base, and in an attempt to throw him out, the ball sailed to the outfield, allowing the speedy Marlatt to come all the way around to score and enforce the mercy rule.

“It could be partially my fault,” Carson said. “I did break my collarbone on Friday, so I wasn’t able to go to practices and get them focused up. All in all, we did end up having a really good season. Winning the district was nice, being a first-year coach at 24-years-old and coming up to a school I had never even heard of until I moved up here for my teaching job.”

Taking the loss was Evan Borsvold. He went two and two-third innings and gave up seven runs, three earned on three hits, six strikeouts and five walks. Owen Borsvold tossed two innings and gave up three runs, one earned on four hits.

At the plate, Gavin Walker had two singles and Collin Walker and Schott had one single each. Michael Basner and Hebert both reached on walks.

The Tigers (12-19), who beat Mio and Au Gres in close games to win the district on Saturday, graduate five seniors from this team, but with more than 10 returnees to next year’s squad they could regroup quickly.

“My lefty that started (Evan Borsvold) is a freshman so he is coming back for sure, so we will get him back and working,” Carson said. “His brother that came in relief (Owen Borsvold) is a junior so I have him another year. I’m losing (the seniors) but we have some guys coming back next year that hopefully can fill that void for me.”