Fayetteville Takes Home Baseball Bronze After Falling to Centerville in the 1A State Semifinals
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Fayetteville players and coaches pose with their medals and the Conference A state semifinalist trophy after their loss to Centerville. Photo by Ken Sury -
Fayetteville’s Jack Schley (7) embraces Luke Beseda, after the game’s final out, as Centerville players celebrate their 11-1 win that puts them in the state title game. Photo by Ken Sury -
Centerville’s Drew Larsen scores as Fayetteville catcher Slade Cejka awaits the throw. Photo by Ken Sury -
Kole Schmitt came on in relief of Jack Schley in the third inning Saturday. Photo by Ken Sury
For the first time since 2022, the Fayetteville Lions will not be playing in the state title baseball game.
In a game where a lot of uncharacteristic mistakes plagued the Lions, Fayetteville lost Saturday 11-1 to Centerville in the state semifinals in Montgomery.
The Lions managed only one hit, officially committed three errors but had a lot of additional miscues that hurt them. And they walked 12 Centerville batters Saturday.
“You have games where nothing goes right and tonight nothing went right,” said Fayetteville head coach Clint Jaeger. “Top of the first inning we got a run and I thought we had some momentum and they scored all those runs in the bottom of the first and killed that momentum – and it was all gifts. Their guys had great approaches. Hats off to them. We played bad but also that’s a really good team. They capitalized on everything we did.”
Centerville improves to 23-1 overall this season and advances to this Saturday’s state title game at Dell Diamond against Gordon (23-4).
Fayetteville, meanwhile ends their season with a 12-6 record after advancing to the state semifinals in a season where a lot of people didn’t expect them to after graduating six players from last year’s state title team.
“At the beginning of the year, we, ourselves, didn’t know what we were capable of,” Jaeger said. “We knew we had potential, but we had so many new faces and young faces. This final score did not show how much better we got ... There were so many unknowns and for us to figure it out and make it to this step is a tribute to the guys and how much they were able to get better.”
For a few moments at least, Saturday, it seemed like these Lions might march back to another title game.
Fayetteville actually led in this game 1-0 after the top of the first.
In that frame, lead-off hitter Schley drew a walk and then advanced to third on a pick-off throwing error by Centerville pitcher Kolt Larsen. That would be one of the few miscues on the night by Larsen (a Sam Houston State signee), who hurled a complete game one-hitter.
Kole Schmitt brought home Schley with a sacrifice fly to center.
But that’s all the Lions would score against Larsen. Schley got the Lions’ only hit with a third inning single. The only other Fayetteville player to reach base was Jason Halfmann, who walked in the second inning.
“We just couldn’t get it going tonight,” Schmitt said. “We tried to get back in the game and just couldn’t. They were a tough team, but we beat ourselves.”
Saturday’s loss ended the careers of four Lions seniors – Schmitt, Schley, Halfmann and Mason Fenhaus.
“They made it to state four years in a row,” Jaeger said of those seniors. “Three state championship games, they won one. There’s not too many kids in the state that can say that. They have a lot to be proud of. They are not going to like the outcome tonight, but they showed a lot of heart throughout their careers. They lost two state championship games with the tying run on base. They were that close to winning state their freshman and sophomore years and they finally got it last year.”
Now those seniors have a state bronze medal to add to their collection of two state baseball silvers and one state baseball gold.
“It’s been amazing. It’s been a blessing, and I thank God for it everyday,” Schmitt said of that high school career. “It’s sad that this was my last game ever. Stings, but that’s how life is. You have to move on.”