Effingham Third at Wooden Bat Tournament

Members of the Effingham Post 120 Senior team are, first row, left to right, Michael Woltman, Zach Bateman, Bryar Jansen, Blake White, Ethan Greene and Nick Miller. Back row, left to right, Coach David Woltman, Lane Koenig, Reid Kocher, Tyler Zuber, Colby Utz, Reed Schafer, Kyle Bourgeois, and Assistant Coach Charlie White. Not pictured but played in the tournament were Drew Gibson and Brandon Puckett.

NEW BADEN -- Effingham Senior Legion Post 120 captured third place at the Elmer Ross Memorial New Baden Wooden Bat Tournament during the weekend.

In pool play, Effinghm edged Carlyle Post 404, 2-1. Carlyle took the early lead in the second inning by pushing across its only run on a ground out by Ricky Huge.

Effingham scored two runs on a two-run single by Tyler Zuber. Colby Utz pitched seven strong innings, allowing four hits, no walks and striking out three.

In the second contest, Effingham Post 120 handed Robinson Post 69A a 6-2 defeat.

Robinson took a 1-0 first inning lead and led 2-1 until the sixth. Effingham scored on an RBI single by Brandon Puckett off Kacey Cheesek, plating Reed Schafer. Effingham didn't give up the lead after the sixth inning. Additional runs came from a sacrifice fly by Nick Miller.

Effingham then tacked on two more runs in the seventh. A sacrifice fly scored Zach Bateman for the inning's first run. That was followed up by Drew Gibson's single, scoring Lane Koenig.

Gibson paced the Seniors at the plate going three for four with three singles and an RBI. He also was the winning pitcher on a one-hitter.

Effingham then failed to provide enough offense to beat New Baden in the third contest, 2-0. New Baden's Alex Phillips recorded the pitching win going all seven innings, striking out eight, walking three and surrendering two hits.

Effingham had two singles, by Koenig and Schafer.

Effingham then fell to Salem Post 128, 6-2.  Post 120 stepped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second. But Salem Post 128 came back in the bottom of the frame to knot the score then had a four-run third and finished out with a run in the fifth.

Dre Hill had a double and an RBI while Cole Steward had a double, home run and four RBI for Post 128.

Effingham was led by Zach Bateman with two singles.

That dropped Effingham into the third place contest where Post 120 defeated Carlyle Post 404, 3-1.

Carlyle took the first inning 1-0 lead. But Effingham came back to tie the score at 1-1 in the third. Effingham then tallied two in the fifth. Colby Utz and Bryar Jansen both scored on a two-run triple by Tyler Zuber.

Effingham had only two hits, the triple by Zuber and a single by Koenig.

Wooden Bat Tournament

Game One

Carlyle                  010    000    0    --    1-4-0

Effingham            002    000    x    --    2-8-3

WP -- Utz. LP -- Humes.

Carlyle -- Carman, 2 singles; Smith, single; Humes, single

Effingham -- Jansen, single, double; Zuber, 2 singles, 2 RBI; Woltman, single; Bateman, 2 singles; Greene, single

Game Two

Effingham            000    103    2    --    6-12-0

Robinson             100    100    0    --    2- 1-2

WP -- Gibson. LP -- Cheek.

Effingham -- Miller, 1 RBI; Zuber, 2 singles; Woltman, single; Bateman, 2 singles; Koenig, 2 singles; Schafer, single, 1 RBI; Gibson, 3 singles, 1 RBI; Greene, 2 RBI; Puckett, single, 1 RBI

Robinson -- Goodwin, double

Game Three

New Baden            001    001    0    --    2-3-0

Effingham              000    000    0    --    0-2-1

WP -- Phillips. LP -- Koenig.

New Baden -- Gaul, single; Johnson, single; Schanz, single

Effingham -- Koenig, single; Schafer, single

Game Four

Effingham            010    100    0    --    2-5-0

Salem                   014    010    x    --    6-6-3

WP -- Boles. LP -- Bourgeois.

Effingham -- Jansen, 1 RBI; Zuber, 1 RBI; Bateman, 2 singles; Schafer, single; Utz, single; Greene, single

Salem -- Boles, single; Harmeier, single; Steward, double, home run, 4 RBI; Hill, double, 1 RBI; Williams, single, 1 RBI

Game Five

Third Place

Carlyle                  100    000    0    --    1-5-1

Effingham            001    020    x    --    3-2-2

WP -- Kocher. LP -- Huge.

Carlyle -- Carman, single, double; Johnson, 2 singles, 1 RBI; Huge, single

Effingham -- Zuber, triple, 2 RBI; Koenig, single