SAULT STE. MARIE — Kingsford fell to Sault Ste. Maire 3-2 in eight innings to bow out of the MHSAA Division 2 district baseball tournament on Tuesday as the host Blue Devils erased a 2-1 deficit with a two-out walk-off rally.

“That was a pretty good all-around baseball game from both sides,” Sault High varsity coach Kris Bontrager told the Soo Evening News.

Tied 1-1 through the regulation seven innings, the game was a pitcher’s duel between Kingsford freshman Gavin Trevillian and Sault High’s Garrett Gorsuch.

“Both pitchers were outstanding and it was going to come down to whoever could find a way to manufacture some runs,” Bontrager said.

The Blue Devils took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth, but Kingsford tied it in the top of the seventh on Riley Juneau’s two-out single.

In the top of the eighth, the Flivvers’ took a 2-1 lead. With one out, freshman Garrett Brown reached on a slow grounder, advanced on Dennis Neuens’ single to left field, and scored on Trevillian’s blooper past the shortstop.

The Blue Devils got out of the inning on a double play turned by shortstop Jonah DeNuccio-McShane and second baseman Matt Lumsden.

In the bottom of the eighth, with two outs and runners on first and third, the hosts tied the contest on a balk. Avery Wilson took off for second base, and Trevillian was called for the balk while throwing to first. That allowed Ethan Chambers to score and tie the game at 2-2.

“We had our probably our two fastest base runners on first and third, it was a perfect scenario to put that play on,” Bontrager said.

Lumsden subsequently drilled a deep shot to left field for the game-winner.

“It’s a tough district, always has been,” Bontrager told the Soo Evening News. “We’re one of four teams left now, and we still feel we have as good a shot as anybody else.”

Kingsford seniors Neuens and Juneau had two hits apiece while freshman Andres Finley added a single. Senior shortstop Sawyer Pugh turned a pair of double plays to pace the Kingsford defense.

Kingsford left fielder Nathan Bousley, also a senior, tossed out a runner at third to thwart a Blue Devils’ threat. Other Flivvers closing out their varsity careers were Connor Erickson, Hunter Skoglund and Aidan Richtig.

Kingsford finished 16-7 on the season while the Blue Devils improved to 17-12 and will host Escanaba in a district semifinal game Saturday morning. Cheboygan plays Marquette in the other semifinal and the winners meet for the district championship at about 3 p.m. Eastern time Saturday.