FAIRBORN — Even thunder and lightning couldn’t save the West Liberty-Salem High School baseball team in a Division III regional semifinal.

With the Tigers trailing Hamilton Badin 5-0 in the bottom of the fifth Thursday, May 27, dark clouds rolled in, and the game was delayed for about 100 minutes. Coach Toby Smith hoped the delay would turn the momentum.

“This might be the best thing that ever happened to us,” he told the Tigers in the dugout at Wright State’s Nischwitz Stadium. “Right now, we’re in a funk.”

If West Liberty had gotten to bat again, maybe it could have rallied. Instead, Badin scored six runs in the fifth and won the game 11-0 on a walk-off two-run home run by Nate Snellgrove.

“Usually after a rain delay, a couple of different things happen,” Smith said. “The team that’s ahead pushes further ahead, or they rest on their laurels and the other team gets back in it. Unfortunately for us, it was the other team pushing ahead.”

The Tigers (26-5) threatened to score only in the first. Chris White led off the game with a walk. Brad Stengel reached on a bunt single. Then a double play and a groundout ended the inning.

Badin starting pitcher John Gattermeyer (8-0) retired the Tigers in order in the next four innings. The mercy rule prevented the Tigers from stopping that streak in the sixth.

“We didn’t hit, and they did,” Smith said. “We didn’t let the ball get deep enough in. We were out in front of everything. The kid didn’t pitch overly hard, but he pitched well, and they played defense. They made plays.”

Badin left the bases loaded in the first. In the second, a two-out single by Luke Wurzelbacher scored the first two runs. Another two-run single, this one by T.J. Nichting, made it 4-0 in the third.

The Rams (20-10) had a 5-0 lead with a runner on second and one out in the fifth when the game was delayed. Two doubles, a single, a triple and the game-ending home run brought in the final six runs.

WLS did tie a school record for wins. The 2006 team, which lost 11-4 to Versailles in the regional semis, finished 26-4.

“It’s a group of kids that showed consistency throughout the year,” Smith said. “Twenty-six and five is nothing to hang your head about.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0351 or djablonski@coxohio.com.