With two outs and one runner on for Peyton, there was chatter among the spectators.

As Denver Christian waited to take the field for its upcoming game, the players sat at picnic tables and discussed what was happening in front of them.

Peyton and Buena Vista were tied at 2, Luke Turner was on first base and Toby Redmond was at the plate.

“He could bring him home,” one player said.

“No, they need one more on,” another said.

Redmond did not bring Turner home, but he did end up walking, and serving as the “one more” on base.

Then, AJ Lashley stepped up to the plate. He’d had three at bats, and three outs. But coach Kelly Nickell knew what was about to happen.

“He’s just clutch,” Nickell said. “I had a great feeling about it. He hadn’t had a hit all day, but he’s one of the best hitters in the state.”

Lashley connected, sending the ball to the outfield. Linkin Compton, who was put in to pinch run, took off, rounding third and sprinting to home plate where he was met by teammates.

The Panthers celebrated their 3-2 victory, tossing mitts in the air, cheering, and running over to thank the crowd for showing up to support them.

“That’s something I’ll never forget,” Lashley said. “It’s very memorable. Something we’ve been waiting for our whole lives.”

With the win, Peyton will take on St. Mary’s on Saturday at 10 a.m in the semifinals. The Pirates had a similar victory, winning 7-6 in eight innings after being tied at 6-6.

According to Nickell, that’s what teams have to be ready for at this point in the season. And his team is built for it.

“The kids don’t get too excited,” he said. “They are pretty even-keeled. Everyone has a good attitude, good mentality for a baseball player.”

That’s how the Panthers were able to stay relaxed throughout the contest, even when Buena Vista threatened.

After three scoreless innings, the Demons recorded the game’s first run, when a two-out single from Denny Martin brought a runner home. But Peyton answered quickly, recording two runs of its own in the bottom of the fourth, as Logan Nickell lined up an RBI single.

As he greeted his first base coach, Logan thumped his chest, and pointed toward the Peyton dugout, where the rest of the Panthers celebrated.

Then Buena Vista scored again.

“That’s just playoff baseball,” Nickell said. “That’s what you expect.”

And even when the Panthers went scoreless in the bottom of the fifth, and then again in the sixth, they remained even-keeled. Just like their coach knew they would.

And when the time was right, they were ready.

St. Mary’s 7, Rye 6

In the second 2A matchup, St. Mary’s did all the little things necessary to defeat Rye in eight innings of play.

The Pirates found themselves down 3-2 in the fourth inning, with the bases loaded.

The first-base coach called out to batter Cesar Martinez-Diaz. “Do a job,” he said.

Martinez-Diaz listened to the coach’s advice. He popped the ball deep into centerfield, far enough away that the runner on third could score, tying the game.

It was nothing glamorous, but it was the right play. St. Mary’s was able to make enough of those plays to defeat Rye and earn a spot in the semifinals.

Martinez-Diaz finished the game with three RBIs. John Clune pitched most of the contest for the Pirates, finishing with 14 strikeouts in 6⅔ innings. He gave up eight hits and five runs. Freshman Garrett Klein came in to end the game, and after giving up two walks, he secured the St. Mary’s win with a strikeout.

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