The Oulu Blue Jays fell to the Eau Claire Bears 4-3 in the first round of the Wisconsin Baseball Association state tournament Friday night in Ashland.
Nate Larson hit a game-winning two-run triple in the fifth inning for the Bears while pitcher Matt Lunde picked up the win.
Oulu outhit the Bears 9-8 and finished its season with the Upper 13 League championship and a 15-4 overall record.
Eau Claire went on to the WBA championship with a 7-1 win over Brill Saturday and an 11-9 win over La Crosse Sunday.
Oulu grabbed an early lead on a lead-off double by DJ Lahti and an RBI single by George Hansen. The Bears came back in the third on an infield error and a RBI double by Brian Menard.
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Oulu responded with one in the fifth inning on a Hansen walk and singles by Brandon Swartz and Luke Olin to tie the score at 2-2. Lunde got out of the inning, however, leaving the bases loaded with Blue Jay runners.
In the bottom of the fifth, Menard walked to lead off the inning, and Scott Wolfe followed with a single.
After one out, Nate Larson laced a triple to score both runners, making it 4-2, Eau Claire. Hansen pitched in relief of starter David Barningham to retire the side.
The score remained until the eighth when Rick Hansen led off with a home run over the left field fence, making it 4-3. Olin singled and was advanced on a Jeff Lahti sacrifice bunt, but the tying run was left on third base as Bears reliever Scott Wolfe retired the side.
Hansen and Olin each had two hits for Oulu.
Menard doubled and singled, Larson tripled and singled, Reed Pecha had two singles and Colin Boone tripled for Eau Claire.
