Hearts Win Claim City Baseball Series

Effingham High School took the early lead and went on to hold off Effingham St. Anthony for the City Baseball Series title Friday.

The Hearts edged out to a 2-0 first inning lead with back-to-back singles by Kendall Ballman and Tanner Gordon. Brayton Poland also singled home a run in the frame and Jackson Lee drew a walk. The Hearts left two stranded.

St. Anthony pulled within 2-1 in the third inning. With one out, Jared Hoene reached base on an error. Dylan Guy singled and Hoene eventually reached home on another error.

The Hearts came back with three runs to move ahead 5-1 in the fifth. The inning started off with a walk to Parker Wolfe. With one out, Gordon singled and Cooper Jackson followed with a bunt snigle. The Bulldogs committed two errors.

But the Bulldogs didn't give up. They tallied two more in the sixth. With one out, Blake Niebrugge singled and stole second. He took third on a wild pitch. Bryson Wall struck out but reached base on a wild pitch when the third strike got away. There was an error and an infield single by Hunter Stephens produced an RBI.

The Hearts went up and down in the seventh on three strikeouts by Poland. Then the Bulldogs rumbled, loading the bases in the bottom of the seventh.

Guy started off the frame with a walk but was out on a fielder's choice by Colin Koester. With two outs, Niebrugge drew a walk and Bryson Wall was hit by a pitch to load the bases. But a ground out to shortstop ended the game.

Effingham had five hits led by Poland with two singles and three RBI.

St. Anthony outhit the Hearts by one. Guy and Niebrugge had two singles each.

At Evergreen Hollow Park

Effingham                200    030    0    --    5-5-3

St. Anthony             001    002    0    --    3-6-2

WP -- Bishop. LP -- Koester.

Effingham -- Ballman, single; Gordon, single; Jackson, single; Poland, 2 singles, 3 RBI

St. Anthony -- Duy, 2 singles; Niebrugge, 2 singles; Antrim, single, 1 RBI; Hoene, single