The Forreston baseball team got off to a tough start and just could not get over the hump in a 10-7 loss during Wednesday’s Class 1A Forreston Sectional baseball semifinal matchup against Galena.

The Pirates scored four runs with two outs in the first inning to take control, tacking on in three of the next four innings to help hold off the sectional hosts and advance to Saturday’s 1 p.m. final against Dakota.

“We got two quick outs and then they had a couple bloop singles,” Forreston starting pitcher Kendall Erdmann said. “It just turned the game around.”

Forreston (20-14) attempted to get the third out on a quick throw to second, but the runner was ruled safe. A hit batter followed by three straight hits gave Galena (22-7) a lead it would not surrender.

“It was bang-bang, they called him safe,” Erdmann said. “That was just part of it.”

The Cardinals cut the deficit to 6-3 through three innings, but Galena scored three more times in the fourth inning.

Forreston scored twice in the fourth and sixth innings, but just one hit in the fifth and seventh innings was costly as the Pirates earned a shot at earning the first sectional title in school history.

Galena coach Ty Hartman said it was huge to add to the lead against Forreston. The Cardinals were coming off a 22-2 with over South Beloit and had outscored their previous four opponents 73-6.

“We’ve preached that to the guys all year long, especially with a team as good as Forreston. No lead is safe,” he said. “You’ve just got to keep stacking, keep getting those runs. And that’s what the guys did. So all the credit in the world to them.”

Galena also beat Forreston 7-5 in eight innings a month ago.

Coming through with two outs was also key to Galena’s win.

“Those two-out RBIs win you ballgames,” Hartman said. “To see that many from our guys today was just awesome. Every time we got in the spot, they clutched up and did a very good job.”

Erdmann was charged with six runs over 2⅔ innings pitched. Connor Politsch entered in relief and was saddled with four unearned runs in two innings pitched. Micky Probst held the Pirates scoreless over the last 2⅓ innings.

For Galena, starting pitcher Jacob Loso gave up three runs, all unearned, in 2⅔ innings. Jaycob Benson pitched the remainder of the game, giving up four runs (two earned) with six strikeouts and no walks.

Politsch led Forreston with two RBIs and Carson Akins (three runs scored) had two doubles and an RBI. Probst knocked in another run for the Cardinals.

Forreston pitchers also hit four batters in the setback.

Owen Hefel (two hits) was one of four Pirates with two RBIs. Drew Koenigs led the team with three of its 12 hits.

“Our defense wasn’t on point today, but our bats came to play, which is good for us,” Hefel said. “And putting up as many runs as we can helps out our pitchers.”

“These guys have been talking about their goals all year,” Hartman said, “and hopefully they can knock off another one.”

Despite his team falling short, Erdmann was proud of how the Cardinals competed in recent years.

“Our senior class is probably one of the bets classes to come through Forreston,” he said. “It was a good time throughout high school. This was a fun group.”