CINCINNATI – Unable to hold an 8-5 lead, the Blanchester baseball team had its season end Monday with an 11-8 loss to Roger Bacon in a Division II Cincinnati District semifinal game at the Urban Youth Academy field.

Blanchester wraps up its season with a 14-11 record.

“We put up a really good fight,” BHS coach Aaron Lawson said. “I’m not convinced the better team won today.”

Cole Ficke put the Wildcats on the board first with a two-run homerun in the first inning. He finished with two hits.

Mason Rector also had two hits. Trenton Czaika had a hit while Brody Rice had a single and drove in two runs. Adam Frump also had an RBI.

“We were winning 8-5 in the fifth,” Lawson said. “(It was) a point in the game where strikes and defense would have won. We gave them way too many free bases and made costly errors at the wrong time. It’s always tough ending a season like that.”

Blanchester had three seniors, including four-year starter Dustin Howard, Hayden Tedrick and Clayton Boyd.

“They provided outstanding leadership to this young team,” said Lawson. “I wish them the best as they move forward on to the next stages of their lives.”