No. 6-seeded Frontenac baseball's came to an end Monday night with a 5-3 loss against No. 3 Burlington during a Class 3A state quarterfinal game at Blue Valley West High School in Overland Park.

Frontenac trailed 2-1 until tying it up in the sixth on a Gage James sacrifice fly. Brock Wiemers doubled and then advanced to third on a passed ball.

Burlington busted it open with three in the sixth. Case Birk's RBI single broke the tie and Mason Collins' two-run single provided a three-run cushion entering the seventh.

The Raiders had their chances in the seventh as Jake Murphy and Gunner Horyna worked consecutive walks to start the inning against Burlington pitcher Brody Garland. The Wildcats called on reliever Kolton Robinson, who got Jack Spear to ground into a 4-6-3 double play on his fifth pitch.

Robinson walked Jaxon Varsolona and Kane Mjelde to load the bases with Raiders and Wiemers' single, his second hit of the game, closed out the scoring. Then, Maddux Cheever snagged Kale Coomes' line drive to end the game.

Senior pitcher Grant Nickle took the loss after keeping the Raiders in it for most of the game in relief and he allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits with three strikeouts and two walks over 5 1/3 innings.

Frontenac starter Coomes walked four of the five batters he faced and Burlington had the bases loaded with a 1-all score when Raider head coach Kaleb Terlip called on Coffeyville Community College signee Nickle.

Nickle struck out the first two batters he faced to retire the side.

Wiemers reached on an error to start the game and he opened the scoring coming home on a Jake Wegner sacrifice.

In the third, Robinson worked his way to third on a three-base error to start the inning. Robinson then scored on catcher Hunter Cole's sacrifice fly.

Wiemers managed both Frontenac hits against Garland and Robinson. The Raiders worked five walks but struck out 10 times.

The Raiders, who earned at least a share of the CNC League title for the third straight year, finished 17-5 overall.

Burlington improved to 24-2 on the season and the Wildcats play No. 7 Girard (22-5) in a 3A semifinal Wednesday at Tointon Family Stadium on the campus of Kansas State in Manhattan. The Wildcats have won 17 straight games since a 4-3 loss April 9 against Mission Valley.

Frontenac 100 001 1 — 3 2 1

Burlington 101 003 x — 5 6 1

Kale Coomes, Grant Nickle (1), Brock Wiemers (6) and Kane Mjelde; Brody Garland, Kolton Robinson (7) and Hunter Cole. W: Garland. L: Nickle. 2B—FHS: Wiemers; BHS: Aydan Winters.

This sports reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/fund/support-local-journalism-project-fund/