ALGONA — Hayden Derrig tried to will the St. Edmond baseball team into a Class 1A substrate final.

The Gaels (9-14 overall) lost a hard-fought 2-1 contest to Bishop Garrigan in a 1A district final on Saturday.

St. Edmond entered the contest on a three-game win streak. They started the season winners of six of their first nine.

“We had a bookend year,” said St. Edmond head coach Mike Szalat. “We started strong, then finished the season playing our best baseball.”

Derrig, a senior pitcher for the Gaels, had earned a win in the first postseason contest over Gladbrook-Reinbeck (3-2).

On Saturday, he took the bump again and went the distance. He allowed six hits, one earned run and fanned 13 Golden Bear batters.

Derrig reached base twice on walks out of the leadoff spot.

“Hayden was phenomenal,” Szalat said. “Of the 18 outs, he accounted for 16. He pulled well more than his share and got to .500 at the plate.”

Classmate JT Laufersweiler ended his prep career with a 2-for-4 performance and an RBI. Grant Galles, Max Webster and Jack McElroy also had hits.

Koleman Hanson scored the lone Gael run.

“JT had two of our five hits and batted .500 at the plate,” Szalat said. “He set the table for us and we are clearly going to miss those two guys. They are going to leave a void that we will have to try and fill.

“We have some young guys who will have to step up and fill those roles.”

Bishop Garirgan’s Justin Bauer was 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Drew Lappe and Benjy Trainer drove in runs each.

Daniel Meis (two-plus) and Bauer (four-plus) combined for the five hitter. They allowed one earned run and walked five Gael batters. They struck out seven and six batters, respectively.

The Golden Bears will now face Mason City Newman (30-5) in the Class 1A, Substrate 3 Championship in Forest City.

“Including our DH, eight of our 10 guys are returning,” Szalat said. “I’m excited for what is coming back and where we are.”

Derrig and Laufersweiler were the lone seniors on the Gael squad.

“The last part of the season was a total team effort,” Szalat said. “We needed a little more of that, but certainly every one of them grew. These guys have matured as individuals, and not just in a baseball way.

“From a personal point of view, I have developed relationships with these guys and that has helped all of us grow.”

BISHOP GARRIGAN 2,

ST. EDMOND 1

St. Edmond 000 100 0 — 1 5 2

Bishop Garrigan 001 010 x — 2 6 1

WP–Justin Bauer (4-plus IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 SO); LP–Hayden Derrig (6 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 13 SO); LOB–St. Edmond 11, Bishop Garrigan 8; HBP–SE: Max Webster, Hayden Derrig; BG: Tate Foertsch (2); SB–SE: Grant Galles; WC: Bauer.