It stings to lose a big game by just one run in extra innings.
It's even worse when it happens twice in three days, in almost exactly the same way.
On Tuesday the Reeths-Puffer softball team lost the first game of a doubleheader to Byron Center 1-0 in eight innings.
The same thing happened on Thursday, when R-P lost to the Bulldogs 1-0 in the eight innings in the finale of a big three-game O-K Green conference series.
The Rockets ended up dropping all three games of the showdown series by a total of just six runs.
R-P's Lainey McDaniel, who struck out 14 batters and had three hits.
R-P now trails Byron Center, which is ranked in the top 10 in the state, by three games in the O-K Green standings.
The game was scoreless at the end of the regulation seven innings. Both teams started the eighth inning with a runner on second.
Byron Center's runner scored on an R-P error. R-P's runner was picked off second base and the Rockets failed to score.
The loss came despite another great performance R-P pitcher Lainey McDaniel, who struck out 14 batters and allowing only one walk. McDaniel struck out 17 in the similar loss on Tuesday.
McDaniel also led the R-P offense with three hits.
Despite the tough losses, R-P head coach Sarah Bayle said the Rockets gained from the experience.
"Obviously it stings to lose twice in one week, both on international tiebreakers in the eighth inning, but I feel really good about where we're at," said Bayle, whose team is now 14-4 on the season.
"We made adjustments at the plate, caught balls in holes on the run, lengthened our at-bats by seeing pitches, caused the other team to make errors, and had another great showing on the mound. I feel confident that this will only make us better prepared for the rest of our season and postseason run."