LOWER MACUNGIE — Just a run here or there and the Carbon County Monarchs could be singing a different tune this Lehigh Valley Legion season.

Carbon County suffered its second one-run loss in three days of league tournament play, falling 8-7 Sunday afternoon to Lower Macungie and ending the Monarchs’ season.

“They fought hard,” said Carbon head coach Donnie Rehrig. “We had the tying run on base (in the seventh inning). Mason (Barndt) put the ball in play and their second baseman made a heck of a play to his right.”

Down 8-5 heading into the seventh inning, the Monarchs’ Jake Taras and Zach Searfoss both walked and scored when Daniel Keer (3-for-4, three RBIs, two runs) tripled to center field. It was his team’s first hit since Lower Mac’s Vincent Viola took the mound with no outs in the fourth inning.

Keer’s third hit of the day came about 10 feet from clearing the fence and tying the game. Rehrig then inserted Barndt to pinch hit. He blasted a ground ball up the middle, but Lower Mac second baseman Gunnar Sclichtl made the play to advance his team to the loser’s bracket semifinal.

“I knew we would battle,” said Rehrig. “I knew what type of game it would be with both teams deep into our pitching staff. We were down to our fourth, fifth, sixth pitchers.”

Rehrig’s team had even more stress on its pitching staff after going 10 innings with South Parkland Friday before falling 2-1. The Monarchs bounced back to beat West Allentown 15-5 on Saturday and earn the trip to Church Lane Park in Lower Macungie.

The Monarchs opened Sunday’s game with an early lead after scoring runs in each of the first two innings.

Keer drew a lead-off walk in the first inning and scored on Bradley Buzzard’s single. Justin Marykwas walked in the second inning and scored on a Keer single for a 2-0 lead.

Lower Mac answered in the second inning, using three hits, a walk, a hit batter and two errors to push across six runs.

Carbon closed the gap in the fourth inning as the first five batters reached base, cutting the deficit to 6-4 before Lower Macungie head coach Jeff Smith pulled starter Everett Horton and put in Viola.

Viola, facing the bases loaded and no outs, walked in a run but got out of the inning without any more damage and his team still ahead 6-5.

Lower Mac extended its lead in the top of the seventh. The first three batters walked, before Rehrig brought in Josh Robin with the bases loaded and no out. Robin allowed one hit and kept his team within striking distance at 8-5 through four innings.

“I think Josh did a heck of a job coming in that spot and only giving up two runs,” said Rehrig.

But Viola, who had pitched just once the entire season, got into a groove and retired the Monarchs in order in the fifth and sixth innings. He gave up just one hit and four walks over four innings while striking out two.

“I texted him last night,” said Smith, “I said I hate to do this to you but we’re in a pickle. I need you to throw tomorrow. His reply to me was ‘no problem coach, I got it.’ I love kids like that.”

The Monarchs finish season at 10-11 after going 9-9 in the regular season and earning the No. 5 seed in the playoffs.

“Overall I’m proud of the effort they gave,” said Rehrig. “Hopefully they build on this going through to high school season next year and then come back with a chip on the shoulder and see what we can do next year. We do have a young team. I think we only lose 2-3 guys.”

MOVING ON … Lower Macungie, the No. 2 seed in the tournament, faces either No. 1 Salisbury or No. 8 Coplay in Tuesday’s loser’s bracket semifinal.

ON THE OTHER SIDE … No. 3 North Parkland and No. 4 South Parkland will meet in Tuesday’s winners bracket semifinal. The loser will face the winner of Tuedsay’s loser’s bracket semi.

Carbon 110 300 2 - 7 5 4

Lower Mac 060 200 0 - 8 5 1

Buzzard, Bozilesky (3), Robin (4) and Taras. Horton, Viola (4) and Martrich. W - Viola. L - Buzzard.

SATURDAY’S GAME

W. Allentown-Carbon

The Carbon Monarchs rolled to a 15-5 victory over West Allentown on Saturday in a loser’s bracket game in the Lehigh Valley Legion double elimination tournament.

Collin Haupt and Josh Robin both had two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored to lead Carbon. Wyatt Zimmerman and Mike Bozilesky also had two hits for the Monarchs with Bozilesky scoring a pair of runs. Brad Buzzard chipped in a hit and scored three runs, Noah Snisky had a hit and an RBI, and Jake Taras had a hit and scored twice.

W. Allentown 101 03 - 5 5 3

Carbon 128 04 - 15 11 0

Guzman, Sarante (2), Almanzar (5) and Pina, Lovera (3); Mahmde, Barndt (5) and Taras. W-Mahmde. L-Guzman.