Bulldogs Nab NTC Baseball Tourney Championship

Effingham St. Anthony claimed the championship of the National Trail Conference Baseball Tournament. Team members are, front row, left to right, Gavin Braunecker, Hunter Stephens, Seth Hotze, Jared Hoene, Dylan Guy, Austin Kline, Aaron Webb, Justin Ruholl, Logan Antrim and Jack Hoene. Back row, left to right, Coach Koenig, Davis Tingley, Kaden Fearday, Bryson Wall, Blake Niebrugge, Joesph Kabbes, Greg Utz, Adam Levitt, Jacob Guy, Colin Koester and Coach Cornett.

Adam Levitt threw a gem Friday for Effingham St. Anthony High School as the Bulldogs downed Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg 6-0 to win the National Trail Conference Tournament championship at Paul Smith Field.

Levitt tossed a two-hitter with five walks and 11 strikeouts. The only two hits were singles by Beau Bennett.

St. Anthony, meanwhile, had eight hits led by Greg Utz with a single, double and an RBI, Blake Niebrugge with a single and double, Bryson Wall with two singles and two RBI and Levitt with a double.

The two teams went scoreless through the first three innings before the Bulldogs broke loose with four runs in the fourth. Levitt, Bryson Wall and Utz all drove in runs in the frame.

St. Anthony then brought home two more runs in the fifth.

The Bulldogs finish the fall season with a 7-1 NTC mark, a 21-4 overall record and winning the NTC Tourney title for the fourth straight year.

In the third place contest, Altamont pounded home 11 runs for an 11-5 victory over North Clay (Louisville).

The Indians had four players finish with at least two hits. Whitt had two singles, a triple and drove in three runs, Vaughn had a single, double and two RBI, Teasley two singles and two RBI and Biggs two singles.

Whitt was the winning pitcher, going five innings, allowing five hits, two runs, four walks and striking out six. Vaughn came on to throw the final two innings, allowing three runs on three hits, two walks and striking out two.

North Clay was led by Aldrich with two singles and two RBI and Blank with a double.

In the consolation championship at Evergreen Hollow Park, South Central took a 2-1 first inning lead and went on for an 11-3 win over Neoga.

The Cougars had a five-run second and a three-run fifth. Geiler threw five innings, allowing three runs on five hits, four walks and four strikeouts.

Geiler aided his own cause offensively with two singles, a home run and an RBI. Blomberg added a single and double while Patton had three singles and an RBI. Roberts banged out a double and drove in two runs.

Neoga was led by Moore with two singles and a double and Banning with two singles.

At Paul Smith  Field

Championship Game

Windsor/Stew-Stras            000    000    0    --    0-2-3

St. Anthony                         000    420    x    --    6-8-0

WP -- Levitt. LP -- Kramer.

Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg -- Bennett, 2 singles

St. Anthony -- Tingley, 1 RBI; Utz, single, double, 1 RBI; Niebrugge, single, double; Koester, single; Levitt, double; Wall, 2 singles, 2 RBI

Third Place Game

North Clay             010    103    0    --      5- 8-3

Altamont               401    420    x    --    11-13-0

WP -- Whitt. LP -- Fleener.

North Clay -- Aldrich, 2 singles, 2 RBI; Bloemer, single; Repking, single; Burkett, single; Clifton, single, 1 RBI; Blank, double; Fleener, single, 1 RBI

Altamont -- Kuhlman, single; Biggs, 2 singles; Whitt, 2 singles, triple, 3 RBI; Pemberton, single, 1 RBI; Vaughn, single, double, 2 RBI; Teasley, 2 singles, 2 RBI; Guerrerttaz, single, 1 RBI; Hammer, single

Consolation Championship Game

South Central            250    130    0    --    11-12-4

Neoga                        100    200    0    --      3-  6-3

WP -- Geiler. LP -- Hill.

South Central -- Dodson, single; Geiler, 2 singles, home run, 1 RBI; Brandt, single, 3 RBI; Blomberg, single, double; Patten, 3 singles, 1 RBI; Roberts, double, 2 RBI; Lotz, single

Neoga -- Lacy, 1 RBI; Ramert, single; Banning, 2 singles; Moore, 2 singles, double