EudoraNews.com

They played with a lot of courage and a lot of heart, but that wasn't enough as the Cardinal baseball team watched its season come to an end Tuesday in game two of the regional playoffs.

Topeka Hayden stunned Eudora, winning 11-8. On May 10, the Cardinals split with Gardner-Edgerton in their final game of the season. They won 4-3 in the opener and lost 10-3 in the nightcap.

Everything seemed to be moving in the right direction for the Cardinals in game one of the regionals on Monday as they advanced to the second round, beating Atchison 5-2. Eudora didn't make it past the first round last season.

Senior Dan Chrislip pitches to an Atchison batter in Monday night's game one of regionals. The Cardinals beat the Redmen 5-2.

Riding the enthusiasm of the first game, Eudora maintained excitement in the dugout throughout the game Tuesday afternoon.

"It felt really great to get that first win (Monday)," Coach John Dunaway said. "There was an overall good feeling in the dugout. There was no negative talk, just a positive attitude. We really had a lot of fun and fought every inning of the game."

Dunaway realized how much he relished the unified excitement and intensity. It was also something he discovered had been missing in some of the games earlier this spring.

"They were really fired up and excited," Dunaway said. "There was just a couple of decent plays that we didn't make. That's been the story of our season."

It's a bitter taste that Dunaway hopes will fade between now and next season. A wealth of young talent gives him something to look forward to, he said.

The Cardinals started Tuesday's game with an underclassmen starting nine. And, the coach said, a majority of those players would be working hard in the off-season to make next season run a little more smoothly.

The Cardinals accomplished one of their main goals on the year: to finish .500 or better. Their overall record was 10-10.

"I think today, as much as ever, we found our chemistry," Dunaway said. "They found a positive in all situations that we faced. They played hard and when someone made a mistake, they just worked hard to pick up the slack and move on. It hasn't always been like that this season."

Dan Chrislip, the Cardinals' only senior, had an eventful ending to his high school career. He pitched three innings Tuesday and started his last home game Monday on the mound.

This year, the majority of the team has looked to sophomore Andrew Pyle and junior Lear Bowling for leadership. Both have embraced those roles according to some of the players.

"Andrew Pyle's probably been the biggest leader this season," Chrislip said. "He just has this ability to get everybody pumped up. He's been able to do that all season long."

Junior Brock Robson, who found his swing in the last two weeks of the season, agreed Pyle was the player to follow this year.

He also felt that the team really started pulling together over the latter part of the season.

"That'll be good for next year," Robson said. "We'll have a better idea of how to play together."

Robson was 0-13 from the plate in the early part of the season, but turned things around in the last few weeks.

In the pitching department, the Cardinals have turned to Seth Johnson to pick up some of the slack on the mound in recent games. Johnson started the May 10 game at Gardner and Tuesday's regional game.

"He just played unbelievable (May 10)," assistant coach Dirk Kinney said. "He hit the spots, didn't give up many walks and mixed up the pitches."

With the youngsters putting all the pieces together in the home stretch of the season, the team has some new-found confidence.

"Tuesday was one of the best games we've ever played," Born said. "It really sets the tone for next season."

Dunaway also expects next season to be one of Cardinal strength.

"We talked for quite awhile after the game about the future," Dunaway said. "We told them how proud we were of them. I'm really excited about next year."