White Pine Baseball eliminated in Regional Semifinals

The White Pine Baseball team’s 2025 season came to a close last week in the 2A South Regional Semifinals.

As the No. 4 seed, it lost a close game, 8-5, to No. 1 Lake Mead, the team White Pine played its last two games of the regular season.

White Pine scored four runs in the fourth inning to tie the score at five. However, Lake Mead scored three runs in the fifth and held on for the win.

“One of the things we’ve been preaching to them and telling them is that the talent’s there,” Bobcats coach Quinn Ewell said. “It’s just more of the mental toughness that we’re going to be able to come out and play to our top level. It’s really cool to see them come out and compete with that because we know they could. We were right there.

“That was a really proud moment to see them go out there and compete with that number one team and almost take a W.”

Jacob Hall got the start for the Bobcats, throwing all six innings allowing five earned runs while striking out five.

“We knew he had that in him, that type of pitching, and all we needed from him was to hit his spots,” Ewell said. “He never let it get away from him. There’s a few times in the season where a few things kind of go bad, then it went from bad to worse. He’d walk or hit guys and something like that happened.

“But he came right back and threw strikes and gave the team the best chance to be right there. So, really proud of him and one of his best performances he had all year.”
Hall also led the team offensively, going 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored.

As a result, White Pine was pushed to the brink of elimination in the losers’ bracket. The Bobcats’ faced No. 3 Lincoln County, who lost to No. 2 Needles in the opening round.

White Pine scored at least one run in every inning but the fifth inning, leading to 13-5 victory over the Lynx.

The Bobcats scored two runs each in the first three innings before opening the door with five in the seventh to keep their season alive.

“We knew we had to redeem ourselves from when we lost to them at home,” Ewell said as Lincoln County and White Pine split the season series. “We were hoping to put up a few more runs on them. But, you know, they got better, too. As the season goes on, every team gets better. We knew it was going to be a little bit more challenging versus the first time seeing them.”

Against Lincoln County, Maddox Sedlacek led the way, going 4-for-5 with four doubles and two RBIs. Sedlacek recorded four of the team’s 18 hits in the win.

Dylan Cessford went 3-for-4 with six RBIs and two runs scored. Hall and Landon Nielson also went 3-for-4 in the win and Hall scored four times.

“It’s fun to see the guys hit the ball,” Ewell said. “That was really impressive of them. They came out and hit the ball when we needed it.”

Jackson Armstrong got the start against the Lynx. He threw a complete game, allowing two earned runs while striking out nine.

“He’s come a long way,” Ewell said of Armstrong. “The biggest thing that helps him is he knows how to hit his spots. We knew he could get that job done against Lincoln, and then that would give us the best shot the next game.”

Going into the semifinals of the losers bracket, White Pine was in the same spot last year needing one more win to not only reach the regional championship but also earn a spot in the state tournament.

White Pine faced Needles, looking to be victorious and get its second win of the playoffs.

“We told them we need two W’s,” Ewell said. “We got the one against Lincoln, so we needed to get one more. We took the guys back to the hotel to rest up. It was pretty hot down there. They were well rested and ready to go against Needles. Down there, we had a close game against them, so we knew we could do it again and possibly get another W.”

The Bobcats struck first in the first inning. However, Needles punched back with five in the first. The Mustangs then tacked on four in the third inning to take a 9-1 lead. White Pine then added two in the fifth before Needles scored four to implement the 10-run mercy rule.

Ewell said the biggest challenge his team faced taking on Needles was nothing physical.

“Making sure we come with the right mentality,” he said. “We know those guys can hit the ball well. We knew we were going to get one of their top pitchers, so it was going to be a little bit challenging. They hung right there for most of the game.”

Sedlacek got the start, going the first 4.1 innings before Cessford came in.

Ewell was hoping Sedlacek was going to have a similar start like he had the regular season against Needles, where White Pine lost by three in the first meeting on April 18.

“Maddox had one of the better games against Needles down there, so you knew he could do it again, as long as he hit his spots,” he said. “He was just a little off the first inning, and then he was able to find his rhythm, find his spots, and kept us there for most of the game. Unfortunately, we brought Dylan in a tough situation to try to get it out and keep the game going but it didn’t quite go our way.”

As a result, the White Pine season has ended but not without the work the players have put in all season, led by Ewell’s seniors.

This year marks three straight years of being in the top four at the end of the regular season to make the regional playoffs. It is also the second straight season White Pine was one game away from reaching the regional title game and the state playoffs.

“We told the seniors that they’re leaving a good legacy behind, getting us right there,” he said. “We hope the rest of the kids who see that, will step up and fill their shoes and keep it rolling. A big part of that is now in the offseason, to put in a little bit of work and to keep this momentum and hopefully get a little breakthrough, and finally, get off to state.

“At some point, we’ll break through.”