The 2019 West Stanly baseball team’s season came to an end Thursday night on the road at No. 8-seed Madison in a 13-5 loss in the second round of the 2A state playoffs.

Joseph Rice earned the win for the Patriots (15-8), allowing five earned runs on nine hits striking out three. He helped his own cause at the plate with three hits, incuding a home run.

Michael Crayton took the loss for the No. 9 Colts (21-5).

Cody Kidd, Connor Tucker and Trent Wilson each had two hits for West.

The Colts rallied from a one-run deficit in the top of the second with two runs before the host Patriots scored 12 runs over the next four innings.

West coach Chad Yow said the team “played our worst defense of the year. Not many things went right and we couldn’t stop Madison from scoring.”

West graduates six seniors from this year’s team which posted 20 or more wins for the third season in five years: Kidd, Wilson, Lukas Scott, Brady Parker, Nathan Eury and Koltyn Hatley.

“These seniors will be missed greatly…I look forward to the challenge of 2020 and teaching our returners how to carry on the tradition of West Stanly baseball,” Yow said.

Sports Editor Charles Curcio can be reached via email at charles.curcio@stanlynewspress.com, 704-983-1361 or via Twitter (@charles_curcio).