LAWRENCE, Kan. — Haven’s bid for a Class 3A state championship came up short Wednesday, as No. 3 Silver Lake built an early lead and held off the No. 2 Wildcats 12-6 in the state semifinals at Arrocha Ballpark.
Silver Lake scored four runs in the top of the first inning and added two more in the second to take a 6-0 lead. Haven answered in the bottom of the second when Rylee Myers hit a two-run home run to cut the deficit to 6-2, but the Eagles pushed the lead back to seven with three runs in the third.
The Wildcats made their biggest push in the fourth inning, scoring four runs to get within 9-6. Mayzie Warden drove in a run with a single, Avery Brawner followed with an RBI single and Morgan O’Neal added a two-run single to bring Haven within three.
Silver Lake responded with a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh to regain control.
Haven finished with nine hits. Warden went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Brawner went 2 for 4 with an RBI, while Myers went 2 for 3 with two RBIs. O’Neal drove in two runs.
Silver Lake had 11 hits and took advantage of four Haven errors. Savanah Wende led the Eagles, going 2 for 4 with a double and three RBIs. Riley Mohler went 3 for 5 and earned the win in the circle, allowing six runs, two earned, on nine hits in seven innings.
Haven, now 28-3, will face No. 5 Jefferson West in the third-place game at 3 p.m. Thursday at Arrocha Ballpark. Silver Lake improved to 27-4 and advanced to the state championship game, where they will play No. 1 Southeast of Saline HS (26-1) Friday at 1:30 p.m.