Heartbreaker.

It was the only word each of the three members of the Falcon baseball coaching staff could use to describe a Saturday afternoon playoff loss to Mount Baker.

In a dual between two of the best pitchers in the North Cascades Conference, the Falcons lost the 2-0 contest not because of what they did or didn’t do, but to what the Mountaineers did do.

Starting on the mound for the Falcons, unbeaten sophomore Logan Hanna pitched scoreless ball on his way to a three hitter. For Mount Baker, last year’s NCC MVP, Wes Norstadt, limited the Falcons to six scattered hits with the most wicked fastball in the conference.

The game came down to the seventh inning. In the top of the inning, the Mountaineers scored twice, once on a two-on double, then on a close play at home plate that did not go the Falcons’ way.

“We didn’t get him,” said South Whidbey coach Dave Guetlin.

South Whidbey almost came from behind for the win, loading the bases with two out in the bottom of the seventh. But the game ended suddenly when freshman Lakota Holder hit a liner to the Mount Baker shortstop, setting up the easy out.

The Falcons now drop into the loser-out bracket of the district tournament and must win every game hereafter to stay in the playoffs. They played Granite Falls, a team the Falcons swept during the regular season, Tuesday. The results were not available at press time.