Washington has great season end badly (w/video)

DES MOINES - The Washington Demons picked a poor time to play ... well, poorly.

“We just didn't show up to play today,” said Washington first baseman Colton Covington after his club's 8-2 loss to Harlan in Friday afternoon's Class 3A state baseball tournament semifinals. “They showed up to play, and they deserved it. They showed up and swung the bats, and we didn't. We pride ourselves on hitting and playing defense. When we don't hit the ball, this will happen.”

Washington (30-8) rallied late to win its quarterfinal Tuesday night against Adel-DeSoto-Minburn, but there were no late heroics here. Not even close.

Harlan (21-14) led from the second inning on, tacking on four big runs in the sixth to put the Demons away. Sophomore pitcher David Ratigan (5-1) didn't find out until Harlan's pregame workout at West Des Moines Dowling High School that he was getting the ball, and perhaps that was a good thing.

He had a shutout into the sixth inning, finishing with a neat little four-hitter.

“I knew it was either me or (teammate) Zach Osborn, but I had no idea who,” Ratigan said. “I always wanted a chance to pitch at the state tournament, and there it was.”

“I honestly think we was a lot slower than we thought he was going to be. Really, a lot slower,” Covington said. “I didn't see any offspeed pitches or anything. We honestly 10-run pitchers like this. We just didn't show up to play with that killer mentality.”

Washington went with the same pitching tandem as Tuesday but with less success. Brad Weatherman (5-4) gave up three runs in three innings and Josh Moore four in 2 2/3 innings.

Just not the Demons day.

“It wasn't a tight thing,” said Washington Coach Nathan Miller, whose team set a school record for victories. “I'm not going to say they wanted it more. I think our guys wanted it just as much. That just didn't show on the field, as far as the intensity goes. Why thatwas, I don't have any answer.”

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