Bulldogs Claim City Series Championship

Effingham High School took a 1-0 first inning lead but the Hearts didn't hold on long as Effingham St. Anthony finished out with a 3-2 victory and the City Series title Friday at Paul Smith Field.

EHS struck early as leadoff batter Kendall Ballman drew a walk. Brett Koester reached base on an error and Mason Hull followed with a fly ball to left field that scored Ballman.

St. Anthony went up and down in the opening inning and got a runner on base in the second as Bryson Wall drew a walk but was left stranded.

The Bulldogs then produced two runs in the fourth to take a 2-1 lead. Joseph Kabbes singled with one out. With two outs, Jacob Guy knocked out a home run over the left field fence.

The Hearts went up and down in the second and third innings before Ryan Sandifer got on board with a double in the fourth. He was moved over to third but the Bulldogs got out of the inning as Adam Levitt struck out the final batter.

St. Anthony tacked on what would be the winning run in the fifth. Greg Utz led off the frame with a walk. Colin Koester followed with a single. Levitt sacrified both runners over. Brett Koester struck out the next batter before Dylan Guy stepped to the plate and delivered an RBI single.

The Hearts came back in the sixth. With one out, Mason Hull knocked out a home run over the left field fence and the Hearts were within 3-2. Sandifer reached base on a walk but the Bulldogs got out of the frame unscathed.

The Hearts rumbled again in the seventh as Cooper Jackson drew a walk. But St. Anthony's Gavin Braunecker came on to get the final two batters on strikeouts.

At Paul Smith Field

St. Anthony               000    210    0    --    3-5-1

Effingham                 100    001    0    --    2-5-0

WP -- Levitt. LP -- Lohman.

St. Anthony -- D. Guy, single, 1 RBI; Kabbes, single; J. Guy, home run (fourth, 1 on), 2 RBI; Wall, single; Koester, single

Effingham -- Koester, single; Hull, home run (sixth, none on), 2 RBI; Sandifer, double; Poland, single; Jackson, single