Indian Lake delivered a decisive late surge to defeat West Liberty-Salem 10-7 on Thursday in a high-scoring postseason matchup, ending West Liberty-Salem’s season.

The game remained tightly contested through the early innings, with both teams trading runs and momentum. West Liberty-Salem struck first, scoring in the opening inning, but faced the tall task of going against Indian Lake ace Jaxon Snipes, the CBC league leader in wins.

The Tigers were able to push across two runs on Snipes in the first three innings to keep things tied halfway through the contest at 2. Indian Lake was able to capitalize once Tigers starter Reese Oder left the mound and erupted for an 8-run sixth inning barrage.

The inning proved to be the turning point, as Indian Lake capitalized on timely hitting and baserunning to flip a tied ballgame into a multi-run lead. The biggest swing of the inning came courtesy of a bases-clearing double off the bat of Chase Persinger.

Indian Lake finished with 10 runs on 10 hits, led by a balanced offensive effort. Persinger powered the attack, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs, including a pair of doubles. Brady Golliday added a key contribution with a hit and three RBIs, while nine-hole hitter Reed Strayer paced the lineup with three hits. Cooper Hall and Nixon Lillard each drove in a run, helping fuel the decisive rally.

On the mound, Jaxon Snipes provided stability in relief, tossing five innings while allowing just two runs and striking out 11 to earn the win. Indian Lake pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts in the contest.

West Liberty-Salem finished with seven runs on nine hits and stayed competitive until the final innings. A late-inning rally saw the Tigers score five in the final two frames, but they ultimately fell short in their comeback bid.

Jeremiah Johnson led the Tigers’ offense with a standout performance, going 3-for-4 with five RBIs, including three doubles. Isaac Sertell added two hits and an RBI, while Timmy Howells and Reese Oder each contributed offensively.

Reese Oder carried the bulk of the pitching load for West Liberty-Salem, working five innings. However, the sixth-inning rally proved too much to overcome.

Indian Lake also benefited from solid defense, committing just one error on the night, while West Liberty-Salem played error-free baseball.

With the victory, Indian Lake advances in tournament play, while West Liberty-Salem sees its postseason run end after a competitive showing.