A memorable season came to an unsatisfying end for the Courtland High School baseball team Saturday.
The Cougars fell 12-4 to Atlee in the Class 4 state championship game at Western Albemarle High School. Courtland was searching for its first state title since it won the Group AA crown in 2000.
The Cougars (19-6) defeated Gloucester in the state quarterfinals and Tuscarora in the semifinals, setting up a rematch with the Raiders, who knocked them off 5-2 in the Region 4B championship game last month.
Courtland fell behind 2-0 in the first inning before responding with a run of its own. Atlee went ahead 3-1 and the Cougars cut their deficit to 3-2 in the top of the third. The Raiders, however, scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth, three in the bottom of the fifth and four in the bottom of the sixth to take the title back to Mechanicsville.
Kellen Bock, Tyler Jackson, Tanner Lam and Maddux Rothel picked up an RBI apiece for the Cougars. Grant Wingert recorded two hits.
