Shoes Head to State Championship Game

PEORIA -- Teutopolis High School fell behind early but came up with a run in the eighth inning to pull out a 5-4 victory over Herscher and advance to the Class 2A State Baseball Championship game Saturday.

The Wooden Shoes's Lee Hardiek singled in the first but the rest of the lineup went down.

Then it was Herscher's first inning turn and the Tigers took a 2-0 lead. Tyler Jarnigan was hit by a pitch and Anthony Koranda singled to right field. With a ground out, both runners advanced. Following the second out, Kaden Hubley doubled and both runners scored.

That's where the lead stayed until the third inning. T-town's Lee Hardiek drew a walk. Eric Kremer singled and pinch runner Jared Bloemer advanced to second. Drew Thoele followed with a single to right field scoring Bloemer.

Herscher added to its lead with a run in the fourth to lead 3-1. But T-town took the lead for the first time with three runs in the fifth. Cody Jansen singled up the middle and Eric  Kremer was hit by a pitch. Jansen advanced to second. On a ground out, both runners advanced. Clint Weber drew a walk to load the bases.

Ethyn Dust came up and doubled down the left field line, clearing the bases and the Shoes took a 4-3 lead.

But that lead was short-lived. Herscher came up in the bottom of the frame. Tyler Stuart reached on an error and McKinley Keenan doubled to left field and Herscher tied at 4-4.

That's where the scoring stood until T-town came up in the top of the seventh. Thoele singled to left field and Luke Ungrund pinch ran. Weber reached on an error and Ungrund advanced to second. With one out, Hemmen reached on a fielder's choice with Weber out at second. Ungrund stood at third. But a ground out ended the Shoes' threat.

Herscher went up and down in the bottom of the seventh.

T-town then came to bat in the eighth. Jackson Goeckner led off with a single to left field. L. Hardiek reached on a fielder's choice with Goeckner out at second. Jansen reached on a fielder's choice with Hardiek out at second. Jansen advanced on a wild pitch. Kremer was then intentionally walked. With two on, Thoele followed with his third hit, scoring Jansen.

The Shoes then held on as Dust struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the eighth and then got the final out on a ground out.

"Ethyn Dust had ice in his veins out there," said T-town Coach Justin Fleener. "He was just calm and pitched well.

"I thought when Drew was coming up in the seventh I kept telling him it's going to fall. Drew came through with that big two-out single in the eighth. These guys just don't give up. When it's time to hit a spot, they do it."

Thoele finished with three singles and two RBI while Dust had a double and three RBI and Weber a double.

Hardiek went 4.1 innings, allowing eight hits, four runs, no walks and striking out seven. Dust came on to push his pitching record to 5-0. He went 3.2 innings, allowing no hits, no runs, two walks and striking out five.

T-town is now 30-6 on the season and will defend it's title Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

Class 2A State Tournament

Teutopolis                  001    030    01    --    5-10-1

Herscher                    200    110    00    --    4-  8-2

WP -- Dust. LP -- Jarnagin.

Teutopolis -- Goeckner, single; Hardiek, single; Jansen, single; Kremer, single; Thoele, 3 singles, 2 RBI; Weber, double; Dust, double, 3 RBI; Funneman, single

Herscher -- Jarnagin, double; Koranda, single; Keenan, double, 1 RBI; Hubly, single, double, 2 RBI; Koranda, single; Cross, 2 singles, 1 RBI