Hearts' Season Comes to an End at Sectional

The Effingham Hearts' 26-win season came to an end Wednesday afternoon.

Effingham lost to Chatham Glenwood 5-0 in a sectional semifinal game at the Chatham 3A Baseball Tournament. The game was heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com. 

One big inning decided the game. Glenwood scored four of its five runs in the fifth inning. After Effingham's Zack Lee held the Titans to one run over the first four innings, Reid Detmers singled to start the fifth. After getting an out that moved pinch-runner Adam Holm to second base, Karson Aherin was hit by a pitch. Lee came back to get a strikeout for the second out in the inning, but Jake Ryan then singled to bring home Holm to make it 2-0 and Todd Fowler hit a deep drive over the centerfield fence to make it 5-0.

Meanwhile, Effingham had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the top of the fourth, but couldn't get a key hit when they needed one. Ryan Sandifer and Brent Beals hit consecutive singles to start the inning and when Lane Koenig worked a walk, the Hearts had the bases loaded with nobody out. After a chat on the mound, though, Titans' pitcher Jacob Maton regrouped and fanned the next three Hearts' batters to end the threat.

Chatham Glenwood scored its first run in the third. With two outs, Nolan Rooney drew a walk and stole second base. Ryan then singled to bring in Rooney and make it 1-0. 

All five Titans' runs scored after two were out.

Lee pitched into the sixth inning for Effingham, allowing the five runs on five hits and a walk while fanning four batters. Beals pitched a scoreless sixth inning, striking out one batter.

Maton went the distance for Chatham Glenwood, allowing just two hits while walking four and striking out 12.

At the plate for Effingham: Ryan Sandifer--single; Brent Beals--single, walk; Lane Koenig--walk; Mason Hull--walk; Kendal Ballman--walk; Zach Lee--sacrifice

The Hearts finish their season with a 26-6 record. Chatham Glenwood improved to 24-9-1. The Titans will play for the sectional title Saturday at 11am.

Class 3A Chatham Glenwood Sectional

Effingham                            000    000    0    --    0-2-0

Chatham Glenwood            001    040    x    --    5-5-0

WP -- Maton. LP -- Lee.

Effingham -- Sandifer, single; Beals, single

Chatham Glenwood -- Ryan, 2 singles, 2 RBI; Fowler, home run, 3 RBI; Hembrough, single; Detmers, single