NEW LONDON app Just three short years ago, the New London High School baseball team was hoisting the Class 1A state championship trophy.

Only four players remain from that magical season.

All four app now seniors app played major roles in the Tigersapp 8-5 win over Notre Dame in a Class 1A district semifinal game on Tuesday at the New London Ball Fields.

New London (15-9) advances to the district championship game to face Pekin (11-9) at 7 p.m. Saturday at New London.

Notre Dame, which split two regular-season games with its SEI Super Conference South Division rival, bows out with a 16-10 record.

appWithout this group of seniors, our program would not be where itapp at today,app New London coach Jayden Flowers said. appWe have a really good group of seniors. Theyappve kept the culture going. They battle every single time. They get these younger kids ready to go. Theyappre all about it.app

Notre Dame struck first, scoring in the top of the first inning. Landry Haberichter walked, went to second on a ground out by Maddox Diewold and scored on an error.

New London, which lost the previous meeting with the Nikes 13-2, responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning against Notre Dame junior Payne Prottsman.

Senior Memphis Watson walked, took second on a single by senior Gavin Menke-Bailey, advanced to third on a walk to Kye Reighard and scored on a single by senior catcher Tate Welcher. Senior Gage Burdenapp sacrifice fly scored Menke-Bailey with the go-ahead run.

appIt felt amazing. We were a little shocked the last time they beat us. It felt great to come out and kind of put it in their face right away,app Welcher said. appJust going out and attacking as soon as possible. The first pitch you saw (Flowers) wanted us to be aggressive. Might as well hit the ball.app

Notre Dame scored single runs in each of the second and third innings to regain the lead. Prottsman was hit by a pitch by Reighard in the second and courtesy runner Ryan Kipp scored on a sacrifice fly to deep center field by Haberichter.

Eli Oleson led off the third with a single, stole second and scored on a single by Prottsman.

The Nikesapp lead would be short-lived.

appThe thing with our losses is it seems like we donappt know how to play with a lead,app Notre Dame coach Chris Chiprez said. appWe get a lead and then we give a run or two runs back. We get another lead and then we give more runs back. Itapp frustrating. We just need to work on getting better as a team.app

New London responded with four runs in the fourth to take the lead for good. Menke-Bailey and Welcher each drove in a run, while a wild pitch and a Notre Dame error led to two more runs.

appYou canappt give a good team that many bases and expect to win,app Chiprez said. appWe harp all year on you have to have at least two of the three facets of the game going app hitting, pitching and defense. Iappll be honest, tonight we had none of that going. We couldnappt hit the baseball. We couldnappt make the plays we needed to make. I think we walked or hit eight batters. In games like this, you canappt do that and think youappre going to win.app

Notre Dame clawed within 6-5 and had a chance to tie or take the lead in the top of the sixth. Senior Jeremiah Crow singled in Tatum Warner and Haberichter with one out.

But Menke-Bailey got Oleson to hit into a fielderapp choice, then struck out Kyler Cameron with runners at second and third.

appYou can never count them out,app Flowers said of the Nikes. appThey take advantage of those little mistakes. We had some little mistakes, but then we fought through them.app

New London tacked on two big insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. Welcher singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Riley Raines and Gage Burden singled and scored on a single by Watson.

The Tigersapp four seniors played major roles in the win.

  • Watson was 2-for-2, scored two runs, drove in a run, walked twice and stole a base;
  • Menke-Bailey was 2-for-2, scored two runs, drove in a run, walked once and stole a base. On the mound, he allowed two hits and one unearned run in two innings, striking out two in relief of Reighard;
  • Welcher was 2-for-3, scored a run and drove in two runs. He also threw out a runner trying to steal second;
  • Burden was 1-for-4, scored a run and drove in a run.

appThey were the freshmen crew of that run,app Flowers said. appObviously we were down the first couple years, but as you can see, when you have a culture and you live by it every day, you get stuff like this that happens.app