On Tuesday, May 1, the Robinson Knights (12-11) faced off against the Jefferson Dragons (17-7) in the district semifinals, falling 7-4 after two extra innings.

“They kept fighting and they fought till the end,” Head coach Kevin McCray said. “And sometimes you just don’t win those games.”

The two teams had played each other twice before in regulation play, with the Knights first winning 5-0, and then losing 1-5. Both teams walked onto Rene Martinez Sr. Field on Tuesday, May 1, as virtual equals.

Heading into the district tournament, Jefferson, Robinson and Jesuit all were tied for first seed. Jesuit took the top seed by the draw of a hat, leaving Robinson as the second seed and Jefferson as the third.

The Knights and Dragons were neck and neck until the top of the 5th inning, when Jefferson’s lead was bolstered to 3-1.

The game looked over.

Then, in the bottom of the seventh inning, with the Knights trailing by two runs, with two outs and runners on first and second, Jack Castro (’20) stepped up to the plate.

“All I was thinking was that I had to get on base somehow,” Castro said.

Castro hit a hard double to left field, driving in both runners and tying the game 3-3, sending it into extra innings.

Both teams scored in the first extra inning, bringing the new score to 4-4.

However, the second extra inning wasn’t successful for the Knights. A triple to center field pushed in two runs for the Dragons. Almost immediately after, another run scored off a single. The Dragons left the inning ahead 7-4. The Knights were held scoreless in the bottom of the ninth.

“That’s what you want as a coach,” McCray said. “At the end when we had to have it, the kids fought back… that’s all you can ask.”

Jefferson will play Jesuit in the district finals on Thursday, May 3, at Jefferson High School (4401 W Cyprus St, 33607).