The Rebels ended up two wins short of the Class ‘A’ state tournament as their season came to an end Tuesday.

But they’re also walking away with a lot of optimism for the future after falling to Kenyon-Wanamingo (19-6 overall) 11-1 in six innings in the Section 1A baseball finals in Dick Seltz Field Tuesday.

Southland (15-11 overall), which started four sophomores, opened the day with a 4-2 win over Wabasha-Kellogg in the elimination game.

The Rebels weren’t even thinking of a postseason run when they lost five of their first eight games to open the season, including a 17-1 loss to WK.

“We have made leaps and bounds from game one to game twenty-five,” Southland head coach Scott Retterath said. “Just to be able to play in this game, I never thought that would ever happen. Our younger kids came through and they had some great leadership from the seniors.”

KW clinched its first trip to state since 2007 with the win and it broke the game open in the third inning when a dropped fly ball opened up a rally that saw the Knights score eight times and take a 9-0 lead.

Southland had a little more offensive success in the game against WK as Trent Reinartz lined a single down the left field line to score two in the second inning to make it 2-0. Isaac Kloeckner added a run-scoring single in the third and Mike Goergen knocked in a run in the fourth as Southland led 4-0.

Lukas Anderson picked up the win as he struck out 11 and allowed just one earned run.

Anderson, a sophomore, pitched 21 and a one-thirds of an inning this postseason as he allowed just one total earned run while striking out 28 in three wins.

He said that Southland is already looking forward to next season.

“This year we completely replaced our lineup and next year will be the complete opposite,” Anderson said. “We’ll all have experience and hopefully it’ll be fun.”

Retterath also expects a strong season in 2013.

“The future looks bright,” he said. “How can it not? The underclassmen got a lot of experience playing in the tournament and they grew up a lot this year.”

KW 1 0 8 0 0 2 — 11 12 1

Southland 0 0 1 0 0 0 — 1 3 1

Southland pitching: Taylar Schwartz (L), 2 2/3 IP, 6 H, 3 BB, 9 R, 1 ER, 3 K, 1 HBP; Decker Bendtsen, 3 1/3 IP, 6 H, 3 BB, 1 ER, 2 K, 1 HBP

Southland hitting: Tyler Kressin, 0-for-2, BB; Lukas Anderson, 1-for-3, RBI, SB; Mike Goergen, 0-for-2; Bendtsen, 1-for-1, BB; Schwartz, 0-for-2; Isaac Kloeckner, 0-for-2; Nick Schmitz, 0-for-1, BB; Sam Klaehn, 0-for-2; Tyler Kloeckner, 0-for-1; Chris Beert, 0-for-1; Alex Pitzen, 0-for-1

Southland 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 — 4 8 1

WK 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 — 2 7 0

Southland pitching: Anderson (W), 7 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 2 R, 1 ER, 11 K, HBP

Southland hitting: Kressin, 0-for-2, 2 BBs; Anderson, 1-for-3, BB; Goergen, 1-for-4, RBI; Bendtsen, 2-for-4, double, R; Schwartz, 0-for-3, R, BB; Isaac Kloeckner, 2-for-3, RBI; Schmitz, 0-for-2, R, BB; Klaehn, 0-for-2, BB; Trent Reinartz, 2-for-3, 2 RBI, R