Staff photo / Brian Yauger. Cardinal Mooney senior Luke Kollar is tagged out at second base by Sandusky Perkins senior Talon Walton during Saturday’s state semifinal contest in Akron.

AKRON — There were just too many missed opportunities for the Cardinal Mooney baseball team on Saturday.

The Cardinals’ defense committed six errors, leading to five unearned runs in a 12-7 loss to Sandusky Perkins in a Division IV state semifinal at 7 17 Credit Union Park in Akron.

“It took us a while to get settled,” Cardinal Mooney head coach Ed Reese said. “We had all the confidence in our guys, but you know, nerves here. … First time here at states. That’s what happens when high school boys are on a big stage.”

While things didn’t go well in the field, there was early success at the plate.

Ben Oddis got the scoring started with a two-run single in the top of the first inning. Taco Verocco added a bloop single to center, scoring Oddis and putting the Cardinals ahead 3-0.

Two walks and a fielding error loaded the bases for the Pirates to start the home half of the first.

A tapper to first base by Kash Koch led to the first out, but it also put the Pirates on the board. Then a second fielding error cut the Mooney lead to 3-2, and a throwing error on a double steal allowed the tying run to score.

A fourth error in the inning put the Pirates ahead 4-3.

With one out in the top of the second, Andrew Bushey lined a triple into the right-field corner. Johnny Brenner followed with an RBI single to right to tie the game. After a walk by Oddis, it was time for Perkins to give up a run on an error. Vince Gentile hit a grounder to first base, but it got under the fielder’s glove and into right field, allowing Brenner to score.

Ryan Reese drew a walk to load the bases, and Mooney extended its lead to 6-4 when Verocco got his second RBI of the day with a sacrifice fly to center.

Bushey reached on a two-out infield single, Brenner walked and Oddis got on after a third Perkins error in the third inning. Gentile beat out an infield single, and Bushey scored to push Mooney’s lead to 7-4.

After the rough first inning, Oddis kept the Pirates off the board until the fourth.

A walk and two infield singles loaded the bases for Perkins with nobody out.

A third infield single by Bruce Davie plated a run, and a ball from Talon Walton went off Bushey’s glove on a diving attempt. The ball trickled into left field, resulting in a three-run double and put the Pirates ahead 8-7.

Jacob Gugliotta relieved Oddis still with nobody out and a runner at third base. Carter Koch dropped a successful safety squeeze and reached when no one covered first.

An RBI double to right by Braxden Martin extended the Pirates’ lead to 10-7, capping the scoring on a six-run fourth.

After another throwing error, Davie drove the runner in with a triple to the warning track in right. Then Carter Koch pushed the Pirates’ edge to 12-7 with an RBI on a hit and run.

“We compete for 21 outs, a whole seven innings,” Ed Reese said. “I’m very proud of how we competed.”

Oddis took the loss after going three innings on the mound. He gave up nine runs — six were earned — on six hits and three walks.

Walton picked up the win after throwing four scoreless innings of relief for the Pirates. He allowed two hits and a walk, while also striking out four.

The loss brought the Cardinals’ season to an end, but it was a memorable run.

Mooney won another district title and claimed the team’s first regional title in program history. The Cardinals finished the year with a 24-4 record.

“Obviously today didn’t go how we wanted it to go,” Ed Reese said. “This senior group, when you go back four years ago, won maybe nine, 10 games. … Turned the program around. We’re very, very proud of that.”