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"The kids were pumped up for a couple of reasons," Ram head coach Shayne Mishler commented. "We felt we were being overlooked by our opponents and we were excited by the fact that we were hosting our first-ever regional."

The semi-final win was packed with suspense as the Rams seemingly took control midway through the contest and then held on for the win at the end.

With the scored knotted at 2-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, Montrose struck for four runs. Dan Kagey's two-out double in the frame gave the Rams their four-run cushion. However, the Sharks responded by scoring a pair of runs in the fifth and threatened to overtake Montrose in the seventh.

With the bases loaded and one out, the Sharks' Scott Horman laced a hit that scored one run, but Jon Hall's throw to the plate from the outfield nipped the tying run at the plate to keep the Rams ahead, 6-5. With the tying run at third and the go-ahead runner at second, winning pitcher Seth Hursh then enticed St. Louis' clean-up hitter to ground out to shortstop for the final out of the game, sending Montrose to the regional finals.

"Seth has been our go-to guy on the mound and we seem to play a different kind of baseball, more pep in our step, when he toes the slab," remarked Mishler in reference to his junior pitcher. "He has leadership qualities and we were going to ride it out with him, even though he was obviously getting fatigued towards the end."

Hursh scattered eight hits and four walks while striking out three. Kagey led the offense with a single in addition to his key double in the fourth. Nick Reinhardt collected a double, a run scored and an RBI while Mitch Huber had the other Ram hit. Montrose took advantage of base on balls and four St. Louis errors while making the most of their four hits. Meanwhile, the Rams committed just two miscues and pulled off several key plays on defense, including parlaying a sixth inning suicide squeeze attempt by the Sharks into a double play.

Seven errors, coupled with six walks and eight Nouvel hits cost Montrose any chance for victory in the championship contest. The Rams fell behind, 4-1, before scoring twice in the top of the second to close to within a run of the Panthers, but Nouvel steadily pulled away by scoring twice in the third, three times in the fifth and twice more in the bottom of the sixth to secure the win. Only five of the 12 runs were earned by the Panthers. Cory Hargraves had the only hit for Montrose, rapping a double, while Hursh and Kagey each walked twice.

"The finals were letdown after being on such an emotional high after the St. Louis win," said Mishler. "We hit the ball well off Nouvel pitchers, but right at players who made the plays. They were certainly ranked number two for a reason."

Montrose finishes the season with a 12-4 mark in the GAC and a 22-13 overall record.