Hearts Suffer Season-Ending 1-0 Loss

The Effingham Hearts suffered a tough 1-0 season-ending loss to the Mt. Vernon Rams Wednesday at the Salem 3A Baseball Sectional. The game was heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com.  

Mt. Vernon's Blake Jones and Effingham's Brayden Bone matched goose eggs until the Rams scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out, Rams' second baseman Reed Millwood singled to center and moved up to second when the following batter was thrown out by catcher Carter Hayes. Cleanup hitter Aaren Morgan then did what cleanup hitters are supposed to do and singled to right to drive in Millwood. Right fielder Kevin Daugherty came up with a strong throw, but it was cut off and the relay to the plate couldn't cut down Millwood.

Bone pitched a great game for the Hearts, allowing just seven hits and two walks while fanning three. Meanwhile, Jones held the Hearts to just two hits and two walks while striking out four.

Both of the Hearts' hits were singles, one by Adam Koester to lead off the fourth inning and one by Michael Woltman that led to the final out of the game. The ball ended up over the head of right fielder Sam Storment, but a quick recovery and a strike to second base caught Woltman trying for the extra base to end the contest.

Mt. Vernon improved to 29-6 and will play for the sectional championship at 11am Saturday. The Hearts end their season with a 21-13 record and a regional championship. They were 10-11 at one point, but won 11 of their last 13 games.

Class 3A Salem Sectional

Effingham                  000    000    0    --    0-2-0

Mount Vernon           000    010    x    --    1-7-0

WP -- Jones. LP -- Bone.

Effingham -- Koester, single; Woltman, single

Mount Vernon -- Brookman, 2 singles; Millwood, single; Campbell, single; Morgan, single; Smith, single; Hayes, single