GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - The Harford baseball team saw its magical season come to an end in the 2016 JUCO World Series on Tuesday. Facing elimination and trailing by 10 runs in the sixth inning, the Fighting Owls scored eight times and extended the game before eventually losing to the No. 1 team in the nation, Chattahoochee Valley, 14-11.

The loss brings one of the greatest seasons in Harford Athletics history to a close. Head coach Tom Eller guided the Fighting Owls to their first JUCO World Series in program history and a school record 54-11 record. Harford won its third Region XX Championship in five years and first Eastern District Title. The Fighting Owls were one of the final six teams standing in the nation and three wins away from a national title.

Luke Johnson blasted a pair of home runs in the big  six inning, including a grand slam, to pull Harford within two at 12-10. After finally putting up back-to-back goose eggs in the seventh and eighth innings, the Pirates plated a pair on a two-out soft liner to second base that just went off the glove of a diving Chase DeMars. The Fighting Owls were able to score once in the ninth, but were one out away from bringing the tying run in Daulton Weeks to the plate.

The Pirates were able to scratch at least one run across in the first six innings, building what looked like an insurmountable lead. But no lead is safe against the Harford offense. The Fighting Owls belted three home runs in the loss, bringing their total to a school-record 119 on the season.

Chase DeMars finished the tournament with a team-best eight hits and Johnson connected on three home runs. The Fighting Owls were able to eliminate Santa Fe (FL) and Delgado (AL), prennial World Series teams, in their first trip to Grand Junction, finishing with a 2-2 record.