BATTLE CREEK -- Heading into the MHSAA Division 3 baseball state final, Father Gabriel Richard High School knew it had its hands full against Shepherd pitcher Colton Loomis.

The senior brought a 13-1 record, an 0.77 earned run average, 152 strikeouts and just 21 walks in 82 innings into Saturday's game at C.O. Brown Stadium in Battle Creek.

So when Loomis uncharacteristically walked two batters and hit another to load the bases in the first inning, setting the table for four Fighting Irish runs and an eventual 6-0 Fighting Irish lead after two innings, it was a surprise to both teams.

What wasn't a surprise?

Loomis, who threw five shutout innings in last year's state title game win over Blissfield, eventually settled in and found his groove. In fact, he was next to untouchable the rest of the way, which included a stretch of retiring 15 straight Gabriel Richard batters.

Meanwhile, the Bluejays scored 13 unanswered runs - aided by six Gabriel Richard errors - for a 13-6 win.

More Coverage: Boxscore | Saginaw News Story | Division 3 Bracket | | Live Chat Replay

"I don't know what happened," said Gabriel Richard junior Donnie Eaton. "(Loomis) looked exactly the same every time up. We just couldn't put the ball in play. Everything we'd either strike out or hit it right at them.

"It was just one of those days. And, unfortunately, it was the state championship game."

After Loomis loaded the bases in the first, Gabriel Richard (43-2) methodically moved in runs. Chris Ostrowski initiated the scoring with a sacrifice fly to right. A double-steal brought in courtesy runner Tom Repovz and, another walk and a sacrifice bunt later, Mattie DeDoes drove a two-run single to center to give Gabriel Richard a 4-0 cushion.

"We came out and hit Loomis hard. He was a little wild out of the chute and we jumped on him," said Gabriel Richard coach Greg Lenhoff. "He really wasn't getting his curve over early. We were sitting on fastballs and in the first two, three innings we hit the ball real hard."

Meanwhile, Irish pitcher Chris Ostrowksi had no early trouble on the mound, shutting down the Bluejays (40-3) in the first two innings. He also helped Gabriel Richard extend the gap to 6-0, knocking in an run with a single in the second, following an RBI double by Nolan Breymaier.

But that was the last time the Fighting Irish threatened.

Shepherd then scored four runs in the top of the third and changed the momentum of the game for good.

"When we got the four, I knew we were going to get some more. I just told Colton, 'Keep us in the game. Keep us in the game,'" said Shepherd coach Jack Nartker, whose team added five runs in the fourth to take a lead it wouldn't squander. "We just keep putting the pressure on, scoring more runs and Colton got more relaxed and, after that second inning, threw a great game."

Inside Gabriel Richard's dugout, Lenhoff felt the shift.

"You could see the momentum change a little bit," he said. "That's the way baseball works. Sometimes you lose the edge and the other team just gets up on you."

A renewed Loomis took the mound and struck out the side in the third inning. He'd do the same in the fifth inning and finish the game by retiring 16 of Gabriel Richard's last 17 batters.

"Once I started finding the strike zone and seeing what pitches they were struggling with, I started feeling way more confident," said Loomis, who gave up four hits and four walks while striking out 10 by game's end.

Ostrowksi, meanwhile, was pulled after 3 1/3 innings of work, replaced by Eaton, who threw the remainder. The duo gave up a combined 12 hits and didn't get much help from the defense, which committed a season-high six errors.

Loomis was 2-for-4 with three RBIs at the plate. Troy Stressman (2-for-5) and Wesley Kenny (1-for-5) also drove in three runs apiece.

"They just hit on us," shrugged Eaton. "We've done that to so many teams in this tournament, we know exactly what it's like. They were just the better team."

Gabriel Richard ends its spring tied for the most season-wins (43) in state history, tying Harper Woods Bishop Gallagher (1987), Stevensville Lakeshore ('95) and Midland Dow ('97) for the most wins ever.

Naturally, the Irish would've liked to have one more.

"Sure, we'd all like to win it and the kids are a little broken-hearted right now," said Lenhoff. "I'm proud of these kids. They didn't stop playing until the last out was made."

Added Eaton, "When you get this close and see that after the game - you see that (Shepherd players') dog pile. It's just puts a pit in your stomach. You think, that should be you out there ..."

Kaleb Roedel is a sports writer for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734)623-2562 and e-mailed at kalebroedel@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kaleb_R.