After defeating Castor in the opening round of the LHSAA state baseball playoffs, Monterey gave up 23 runs in five innings to fall to Choudrant 23-4, and brought their season to a close.

The Aggies jumped to an early lead by scoring eight runs in the top of first inning. Tyler Cobb started the Choudrant attack by scoring TJ Brister and Chris Andrews on a two RBI single. Three batters later, Jamarcus Dade singled to score two more runs.

Darryl Mixon singled to drive in a run, and Dade made it a 6-0 game when he crossed home on a passed ball at the plate. The Wolves then committed two errors, both resulting in runs scoring, before they got out of the inning.

“Everything they did was right, and everything we did was wrong,” Monterey head coach Hank Zizzi said.

The Aggies scored two more runs in the top of the second off a passed ball and an error. The punishment continued in the third inning when Robby Bagwell homered to score Cobb, and Brister hit a three-run home run in the top of the fourth.

“This was one of those days where we should have stayed in bed,” Zizzi said. “They have a good ball club.”

After leading 15-0 heading into the top of the fifth, Choudrant insured their regional playoff victory by scoring eight more runs in the final inning of the game. Six hits by the Aggies and two errors by the Wolves led to a first inning repeat.

Despite being down 23 runs heading into their last at bat the Wolves never gave up, and put together a small rally that scored four runs.

Monterey’s first run came after Trey King stole home on a wild pitch. A Beau Shidley single scored two more runs, and a Billy Metcalf single drove in the Wolves final run of the game.

“I am proud of the way these kids came back in the last inning. It shows they still had fight in them,” Zizzi said.

With the loss Monterey completed their season with an overall record of 10-12, with seven losses being dealt from schools classified as 3A or better.

“We made the playoffs, and that’s an accomplishment. I just wish we could have stayed longer,” Zizzi said.

The Wolves are only loosing one senior, starting catcher Landon White, and Zizzi said he expects his younger players to step up and fill key positions as the team heads into the off-season and shifts its focus towards the future.