Bulldogs Score Late to Win Opener, Hearts Unload in Nightcap to Earn Doubleheader Split

Friday night will be the rubber match of the 2018 Baseball City Series after the St. Anthony Bulldogs and Effingham Hearts split a doubleheader Wednesday. St. Anthony posted a 2-1 come-from-behind win in the opener, while Effingham won by the 10-run rule 11-1 in the nightcap. The twin-bill was heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com. 

Effingham led for much of Game One after scoring a run in the second inning. Joe Kabbes homered for the Bulldogs, though, in the sixth to tie the game and Austin Kline delivered a game-winning single to right to win the game.

Dylan Guy went 5-1/3 innings for St. Anthony and kept the Hearts off-balance, allowing four hits and walking three but allowing just the one run. He had one strikeout. Gavin Braunecker came into the contest with one out in the sixth after Ryan Sandifer tripled for the Hearts and recorded a strikeout, a walk and a strikeout to end the threat, then retired the Hearts in the seventh to pick up the win.

Mason Hull pitched six innings for Effingham, allowing one run including Kabbes' home run on four hits and three walks while fanning nine. Brett Koester took the loss, allowing a run on three hits in the seventh and hurt by some shaky defense.

At the plate for St. Anthony: Austin Kline--two singles, RBI...Joe Kabbes--home run, walk, run scored, RBI...Jacob Guy--single, walk...Bryson Wall--single, walk...Adam Levitt--single, run scored...Kaden Fearday--single

At the plate for Effingham: Kendall Ballman--walk...Brett Koester--single...Mason Hull--walk...Ryan Sandifer--triple...Zach Lee--single, run scored...Brayton Poland--three walks...Cooper Jackson--single, RBI

   --

In the second contest, Effingham scored in every inning but one and won by the 10-run rule in six innings.

The big story, though, was the Hearts' Zack Lee who worked the full six innings and struck out 14 Bulldogs. Lee allowed one run on two hits and a walk. Despite the 14 strikeouts, Lee threw just 94 pitches.

The Hearts scored twice in the first inning.

Kendall Ballman led off the game with a hit and with one out Mason Hull walked. Sandifer doubled home Ballman and Hull also later scored to make it 2-0.

St. Anthony scored its lone run in the second. 

After Zack Lee fanned the first five Bulldogs batters, Bryson Wall delivered a single with two outs in the second. Colin Koester doubled Wall home to make it 2-1.

The Hearts scored twice in the third inning.

With one out, Brett Koester walked and Mason Hull was hit by a pitch. Sandifer and Lee each walked with Lee's forcing in a run. Poland then hit a fly ball to center to plate Hull to make it 4-1.

The Hearts scored four times in the fourth to break the game open. Parker Seachrist singled to lead off the inning, then Cooper Jackson walked and Bryce Lohman singled to drive home Seachrist and make it 5-1. Kendall Ballman's fly ball to right brought home Jackson to make it 6-1. Brett Koester then reached on an error and Sandifer singled home a run to make it 7-1. Koester also scored in the inning and the Hearts led 8-1.

Effingham made it 9-1 in the fifth when Seachrist doubled with one out and came around to score on an error.

The Hearts scored twice in the sixth when Hull walked and Sandifer doubled. Zach Lee was given an intentional walk and Poland worked a walk to force home a run. A fielder's choice by Seachrist brought home Sandifer to give the Hearts the 10-run lead.

Colin Koester took the loss for St. Anthony, working into the fourth inning and allowing seven earned runs on five hits and five walks while striking out two. Kaden Fearday pitched the final three innings, allowing four runs, three earned on three hits and three walks while fanning two.

At the plate for Effingham: Kendall Ballman--single, stolen base, run scored, RBI...Brett Koester--walk, fielder's choice, two runs scored...Mason Hull--two walks, hit by pitch, three runs scored...Ryan Sandifer--two doubles, single, run scored, 2 RBI...Zack Lee--two walks, RBI...Brayton Poland--walk, fielder's choice, RBI...Parker Seachrist--double, single, fielder's choice, two runs scored, RBI...Cooper Jackson--single, walk, run scored...Bryce Lohman--single, run scored, RBI

Effingham is now 19-3 and St. Anthony is now 17-3 after the split. Game Three will be Friday at 7pm at Paul Smith Field at Community Park. Here the game on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com. 

Game One

Effingham               010    000    0    --    1-4-2

St. Anthony             000    001    1    --    2-7-1

WP -- Braunecker. LP -- Koester.

Effingham -- Koester, single; Sandifer, triple; Lee, single; Jackson, single, 1 RBI

St. Anthony -- Kline, 2 singles, 1 RBI; Kabbes, home run, 1 RBI; J. Guy, single; Wall, single; Levitt, single; Fearday, single

Game Two

Effingham                202    412    --    11-9-1

St. Anthony              010    000    --     1-2-3

WP -- Lee. LP -- Koester.

Effingham -- Ballman, single, 1 RBI; Koester, 1 RBI; Sandifer, single, 2 doubles, 2 RBI; Lee, 1 RBI; Poland, 2 RBI; Seachrist, 2 singles, double, 1 RBI; Jackson, single; Lohman, single, 1 RBI

St. Anthony -- Wall, single; Koester, double, 1 RBI