BROOKVILLE — Trailing 1-0 the Brookville varsity baseball team rallied with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning Wednesday to post a 3-1 victory over Waynesville in the second round of the Division III, Southwest I sectional tournament.

Brookville had a first round bye. Waynesville defeated Valley View 7-4 Monday in the opening round of the tourney.

Lane Willoughby earned the victory for Brookville. He pitched seven innings, scattered five hits, with one unearned run, one walk and six strike outs.

Waynesville scored its lone run in the top of the fourth. Peyton Frederick hit a two out single to left and advanced to second on a passed ball. Luke Bulach drew a walk. With Nick Warren at bat Frederick advanced to third on another passed ball.

Bulach broke for second and got caught in a rundown. Frederick scored by stealing home and Bulach made it back to first when no one covered the base during the rundown. Brookville catcher Kayde Baker gunned down Bulach on an attempted steal of second to end the Spartans’ scoring threat.

Nathan Waggoner and Landon Trent drew walks in the bottom of the fourth but a ground out to shortstop and a line drive out to second left both runners stranded.

After Willoughby retired the Spartans in order in the top o the fifth, the Blue Devils rallied.

Jace Wood led off with a single in the home half of the fifth. Willoughby hit a ground ball to third and the throw to second to try to force Wood out sailed high and into the outfield. Wood reached third and Willoughby made to second on the error.

Sam Fullenkamp was intentionally walked to load the bases. Braden Chambers singled to left to score Wood with Willoughby advancing to third and Fullenkamp to second. Kayde Baker singled up the middle to drive in Willoughby but Fullenkamp got throw out at the plate trying to score on Baker’s hit.

Chambers, who advanced to second on Baker’s single, reached third on a wild pitch. Nathan Waggoner hit a sacrifice fly to center to bring Chambers home to put Brookville up 3-1.

Willoughby limited Waynesville to an infield hit in the top of the sixth and a single to left center in the top of the seventh to preserve the lead.

Catcher Kayde Baker made a big play in the top of the seventh to eliminate a baserunner. Peyton Frederick hit a grounder to second but the throw to first was wild and Frederick headed to second.

Backing up the throw to first, Baker pounced on the loose ball and rifled a throw to shortstop Jace Wood who tagged out Frederick. Waynesville disputed the out but the play stood.

Bulach followed with a single to center, but Willoughby got the next two batters to hit into ground outs to end the game.

“Willoughby has been our workhorse all year. He went out there and he did what he does. He was very-very good,” said Brookville coach Tyler Eaton. “The defense did what it does when we are locked in and playing good, and that is playing great defense behind a good pitching staff. Our offense was better than three runs today.

“We had guys on base in every inning but the sixth, so we left a few opportunities out there when we could have driven in a couple of runs,” Eaton added. “Maybe I sent a guy home that was kind of a questionable send, but at this time of the year you are going to send them and force the other team to make a play and they made couple of great plays on their end that kept us to three runs.”

The victory saw the Blue Devils improve to 17-9 while the Spartans end their 2024 campaign at 10-12.

Brookville advances to host Jamestown Greeneview on Monday at 5 p.m.

Reach Ron Nunnari at (937) 684-9124 or email [email protected].