The Marengo Academy Longhorns gave up four runs in the bottom of the seventh to drop the second game of a three-game series against Cornerstone Christian in the second round of the AISA Class A playoffs.

The Longhorns won the first game of the Thursday double header 3-0 and dropped game two 5-4.

For the Chargers, Kenny Humphrey, Heath Garrett, Tim Warren and Cole Ray crossed the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning on RBIs by Ray, Austin Andrews, Wesley Brown and Jeffery Odgers. Humphrey earned the win for Cornerstone while Wyatt Hale was charged with the loss for Marengo.

“Cornerstone did a good job tonight,” Marengo head coach Eddie Edwards said. “You’ve got to tip your hat to them. They’re a scrappy team and they got it done. We didn’t hit when we needed to and we just didn’t come through in this one.”

The Longhorns took an early 2-0 lead in the second game on a RBI groundout by Hayden Hall that scored Hayden Huckabee, and a RBI groundout by Weldon Aydelott that brought in Kyle Friday.

In the bottom of the second, Cornerstone brought the score to 2-1 on a RBI single by Brown that scored Ray.

Marengo extended their lead to 4-1 in the third on a RBI single by Tyler Barkley that brought in Andrew Martin and a RBI walk to Hale that brought in Alston Dinning.

The Longhorns held their 4-1 lead until the seventh inning.

Huckabee started the game and pitched four innings, striking out six batters and allowing one run. He also allowed three hits, two walks and he hit two batters. Micah Agee came in to relieve Huckabee and pitched two innings, striking out three batters and only allowing two hits. Hale entered in the seventh and pitched one-third of an inning, giving up two hits, three walks and four runs.

Warren started for Cornerstone and pitched three and one-third innings, striking out two batters. He allowed six hits, four walks and four runs. Humphrey relieved him and pitched three and two-thirds innings. He struck out two, walked one and allowed three hits.

In the first game of the day, Friday dominated on the mound for Marengo. He pitched seven innings, allowing only one hit, two walks and one hit batter. He struck out four batters. He sat down 21 of the final 23 batters he faced in the game.

Hall drove in Barkley in the third inning to give Marengo a 1-0 lead, then a two-run home run to center field by Brant Lewis extended the lead to 3-0. Friday also scored on the Lewis home run.

Ian Briggs pitched six innings for the Chargers and threw six innings. He allowed four hits, a walk, three runs and he struck out two batters.

“Kyle [Friday] is a competitor,” Edwards said. “Nobody outworks him. He started sluggish but he found his groove.”

The deciding game in the series will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Scott Park in Linden.