One chance is all Jefferson left Washington with in Monday’s final game of the county’s Sectional baseball tournament. One scoring chance, and only one.

Washington was in a must-win-or-close-up-shop situation after losing to the Cougars on Saturday.

The Cougars had already gotten a run in the first when the Patriots fueled a rally in the next inning against Jefferson left-hander Andy Disque.

Mark McKee greeted Disque with a long double to the fence. Zac Burch lined a single into the outfield to advance McKee to third. When Corey Lewis walked, the Patriots had the bases loaded and there were still no outs. Disque then walked Trevor Pansch to force in a run, leaving the game tied at 1-1.

Disque must have seen enough.

In short order, he induced Jefrey Silvestre to hit a slow roller that third baseman Michael Tennant turned into a force play at the plate. Washington’s once-budding rally fizzled completely when Ryan French hit into a 4-6-3 double play, leaving the score still tied.

The Cougars quickly scored what would amount to the only run they would need past the first inning in their eventual 5-1 win.

Wil Oliver had a single to lead the third. Paul Witt’s roller was handled, but the throw to first was dropped. Runners were at first and third. There were no outs.

Andrew King rattled a line single to left that Oliver rode home on. Jefferson had a one-run lead that Disque didn’t squander.

In the fifth, King’s two-run homer that scored Witt in front of him meant the Cougars and Disque — throwing mostly strikes over his final five innings of complete-game work — had a little room for error. No room for mistakes or Washington’s comeback attempt was needed.

Disque completed his five-hitter with a three-pitch last inning. Silvestre skied out on the first pitch of the seventh. French grounded out on Disque’s next offering. And the game ended when Hunter Weaver drove Oliver back to the warning track to flag down his long fly. It had been a three-pitch inning to a team that was trailing by four runs.

Disque faced only 10 men in the last three innings of his win.

Jefferson managed only four hits off Burch and reliever McKee but had seven other baserunners aboard by other means.

The Cougars were 33-2 overall and aimed their sights at the upcoming Regional tournament where either Spring Mills or Hedgesville will be the next target. Washington closed its season with a 19-11 overall record.

One runner-filled inning was all Disque yielded to the Patriots. And he and his infield teammates closed that window about as fast as it had opened.