Just when it looked like the Blue Sox were about to be celebrating a trip to state, everything went horribly wrong at Marcusen Park Wednesday.

With Rochester leading 7-6 in the bottom of the 11th inning, Josh Kunze singled, and Casey Toops and Dan Swift each walked to load the bases with no outs.

That’s when Brian Voigt ripped a line drive to the left side that Royals shortstop Jimmy Strain made a leaping grab on. The Royals ended the game and clinched their own trip to state, when Austin’s next hitter Duell Higbe grounded into a game ending double play.

The Blue Sox (19-6 overall) will now play the Austin Greyhounds (13-16 overall) in an elimination game, with the winner going to the state tournament, Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Marcusen Park.

“When you’re that close to securing a state bid and it doesn’t happen for you it’s hard emotionally to dump that and make a clean slate of it,” Blue Sox manager Josh Kunze said. “I hope the guys don’t hang on this too much.”

Rochester (23-14 overall) took the lead in the top of the 11th inning when Joe Duda led off with a double. After a strikeout of Strain and a single by Nate Neis, Duda scored from third as he beat a throw from Kroc on a fielder’s choice.

The Blue Sox trailed by two going into the bottom of the ninth, but after Kroc and Kunze singled and advanced to second and third on a bunt by Casey Toops, the Royals chose to pitch to Dan Swift. The slugger responded by ripping a two-run double to the right-center field wall.

“With first base open I thought they might walk me,” said Swift, who was three-for-five with four RBIs. “But with me today I either got a knock or I struck out. It was kind of a coin flip. It was a lefty-lefty matchup and I got enough of it to drive one into the outfield.”

The Blue Sox had a chance to win it in the ninth, but Voigt grounded out and Higbe flew out to right field on a 3-2 pitch.

The Blue Sox stranded nine base-runners on the night and left three runners in scoring position in the last three innings.

They also had two innings end with runners thrown out on the base-paths. In the fourth, Toops was thrown out between second and third, and in the sixth, Derek Emanuel was caught headed for second on a single that could’ve scored Swift, who held up at third.

“After I saw it got past the second baseman, I looked right at the third base coach and waited. I got three or four strides past the bag and got stopped,” Swift said.

The Blue Sox played the game without two of their best outfielders — Nate Johnson and Aaron Port.

“We pitched well enough at times, but there were a couple of plays that might have been made by our regulars. You hate to say it, but it’s true. We have a very, very good outfield when we have our best nine here,” Swift said. “The best way to look at it is we had many chances to win the game shorthanded.”

Since Nels Nelson got the start Wednesday, Friday’s game will likely feature aces for the Blue Sox and the Hounds — who already have Dave Meyer on the slate. Joe Huffman threw just two innings and took the loss against Rochester.

“There’s no lack of confidence,” Swift said. “We’re going to face Dave and it just comes down to who plays the better nine innings.”

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 R H E

Royals 0 0 0 2 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 7 9 0

Blue Sox 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 6 11 1

Blue Sox pitching: Nels Nelson, 9 IP, 7 H, 3 BB, 6 R, 5 ER, 9 K, 2 HBP; Joe Huffman (L), 2 IP, 2 H, BB, 0 R, 3 K

Blue Sox hitting: Joe Kroc, 2-for-5, 2 R, BB; Josh Kunze, 2-for-3, double, 2 R, 2 BB; Casey Toops, 1-for-2, R, BB; Dan Swift, 3-for-5, double, 4 RBIs, BB; Brian Voigt, 1-for-6, RBI; Duell Higbe, 0-for-6; Huffman, 1-for-5, RBI; Derek Emanuel, 1-for-2, R, 2 BBs; Brandon Rector, 0-for-2; Winston Smith, HBP; Brady Klingfus, 0-for-1

Royals pitching: Chad Weisner, 6 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 4 ER, 2 HBP, 5 K; Ezra Campbell, 2 2/3 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 2 ER, 4 K, 1 HBP; Tim Welke (W), 1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 3 BB, 0 R, 1 K; Spencer Brady (S), 1 IP, 0 R

Royals hitting Nate Neis, 1-for-4; Kirk Rubado, 2-for-5, double, 2 RBIs; Ronnie Olson, 2-for-5, triple, RBI; Josh Matti, 0-for-4, RBI; Bryan Denisen, 1-for-4, RBI; Tim Oesterhn, 0-for-5; Darrin Schmidt, 0-for-4; Dave Adams, 0-for-3; Jimmy Strain, 2-for-5; Joe Duda, 1-for-2, double