Teutopolis Downs Effingham in Monday Baseball

The Teutopolis Wooden Shoes defeated the Effingham Hearts, 6-4, in high school baseball Monday. The game was heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com. 

The way the game began, it appeared Teutopolis might be headed toward a 10-run rule victory. The Shoes led 5-0 in the second inning before Lane Koenig, the Hearts' third pitcher of the game, came in to put out the fire. Koenig ended up pitching six innings and allowing just one run.

Devin Smith, meanwhile, pitched a great game for Teutopolis. Smith got an out in the sixth inning before giving way to Tommy Flach and then Kyle Smith who shut the door on the Hearts.

Teutopolis scored twice in the first inning. Devin Smith singled to lead off the game and then Louis Niemerg doubled to give the Shoes two runners in scoring position with nobody out. Jordan Thoele then smoked a two-run double to right center to make it 2-0. Thoele, though, was retired on a caught stealing for the first out. After Austin Hartke reached on an error, Hearts starter Brent Beals walked John Kreke and gave up a single to Brock Mette to load the bases and was lifted for Kevin Daugherty. Daugherty struck out the next two hitters to end the threat.

However, Daugherty then got into trouble to start the second inning, walking Tommy Flach and Devin Smith to start the inning. After a wild pitch moved up the runners, Louis Niemerg delivered a two-run single to make it 4-0 and then Jordan Thoele doubled home Niemerg to make it 5-0. That's when Koenig was brought in and he ended the threat.

The Shoes scored a run in the fourth on a one-out walk to John Kreke, an infield single for Brock Mette and an RBI single for Austin Johnson to make it 6-0.

The Hearts got on the board in the fifth inning when Reed Schafer reached on an error to start the inning. With one out, Brennan Poland walked and then a wild pitch moved up both runners before another wild pitch brought Schafer home to make it 6-1.

Effingham really made it interesting in the sixth with three runs. A one-out walk to Lane Koenig was followed by a Hudson Graham single, a fielder's choice for Reed Schafer that brought home Koenig, a walk to Blake White, and a two-run double by Brennan Poland to make it a 6-4 game.

That's when Kyle Smith was brought in and he eliminated any further damage.

Devin Smith went 5-1/3 innings to get the win for the Wooden Shoes, now 15-4-1 on the season. Smith allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits and four walks while fanning nine. Tommy Flach faced two batters and gave up a hit and a walk before Kyle Smith came in to pitch the final 1-2/3 innings, allowing just one hit.

Brent Beals pitched a third of an inning, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk. Kevin Daugherty pitched two-thirds of an inning, allowing three runs on two hits and two walks while striking out two. Lane Koenig pitched six innings, allowing one run on five hits and two walks while fanning two.

At the plate for Teutopolis: Devin Smith--single and walk...Kyle Smith--two runs scored...Louis Niemerg--double, two singles, two runs scored, two RBI...Jordan Thoele--three doubles, three RBI...Austin Hartke--single and walk...John Kreke--two walks, run scored...Brock Mette--two singles...Austin Johnson--single and RBI...Tommy Flach--walk, run scored

At the plate for Effingham: Brennan Poland--double, single, walk, two RBI...Ryan Barnes--single...Carter Hayes--single...Lane Koenig--two walks, run scored...Hudson Graham--two singles...Reed Schafer--two runs scored...Blake White--two walks, run scored

Effingham is now 10-11 on the season.

At Effingham

Teutopolis           230    100    0    --    6-12-1

Effingham           000    013    0    --    4-   6-1

WP -- Smith. LP -- Beals.

Teutopolis -- Hartke, 2 singles; Johnson, single, 1 RBI; Mette, 2 singles; Niemerg, 2 singles, double, 2 RBI; Smith, single; Thoele, 3 doubles, 3 RBI

Effingham -- Hayes, single; Poland, single, double, 2 RBI; Barnes, single; Graham, 2 singles