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The Bi-State Bulldogs, Luther High School's Legion baseball program, entered last week's Class A regional on a 10-game winning streak, the longest winning streak in the program's eight-year history. It didn't translate into the program's first regional championship, however, as Bi-State lost 6-5 to La Farge to see its season end at 17-10.

The Bulldogs had chances aplenty to tie the game after a Matt Essig solo home run to left to lead off the bottom of the fifth innings. Ryan Zibrowski, Justin Podella and Marcus Walters followed Essig with fly balls to the warning track for the final three outs of the fifth.

But Bi-State's best chances came in the sixth and seventh. Steve Schultz reached on a two-out error in the sixth and stole second. Brad Essig followed with a single to center, but Schultz was cut down trying to score.

Zibrowski walked with one out in the seventh, moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt and to third on a wild pitch, setting the stage for Podella, the Bulldogs No. 3 hitter. Podella lined the ball toward center, but the ball was snared by left-handed reliever Zach Wickert. Wickert fired to third base to attempt to cut down Zibrowski, nabbing the junior-to-be by about a quarter-step.

Bi-State never had the lead, but forged ties in both the second and third innings. Brad Essig's sacrifice fly to left drove in Brian Wrobel and forged a 3-3 tie in the second, while Shawn Scherer's RBI triple to right-field corner came after a Podella double to the fence in left-center and got the Bulldogs back to 4-4 in the third.

But like the last two innings, Bi-State left too many runners in scoring position. Ryan Lussky was stranded at second in the second, while Scherer was stranded at third in the third after two strikeouts. Zibrowski also failed to score after an RBI double that drove in Matt Essig in the first, getting cut down attempting to score on a Scherer fly ball to medium-depth left field, which came after Zibrowski advanced to third on a Podella ground ball to first.

Matt Essig took the loss, allowing five hits and all six runs, but just two earned runs, over the first 5 1/3 innings. Lussky entered with two runners on with one out in the sixth and kept La Farge at bay, striking out three of the six hitters he faced.

After a regular season in which they did not lose a game by more than five runs, Bi-State suffered its worst loss of the season in its regional opener, a 23-2 loss to Viroqua. Lussky had trouble commanding his breaking ball and lasted just two innings, allowing five earned runs and six unearned runs. Zibrowski allowed four earned runs and four earned runs while pitching the third and fourth.

Bi-State manufactured a run in the first, with Matt Essig reaching on an error, moving to second on an errant pickoff attempt, stealing third and scoring on a Podella ground out to short. The Bulldogs other run came in the fifth on a Mike Schneider double to left and Clint Gilman single to center.

Matt Essig, Scherer, Walters and Schultz completed their Legion careers Friday. Lussky, Podella, Wrobel, Schneider, Brad Essig, Zibrowski, Cody Krueger, Caleb Schultz, Travis Hamilton, Clint Gilman and Joey Leibl are eligible to return to next year's club.