Hearts Advance To Sectional Title Game

SPRINGFIELD -- Despite numerous rain and lightning delays, Effingham High School came out a 3-2 winner over Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin in the Class 3A Springfield Baseball Sectional Wednesday.

Sacred Heart Griffin took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. With one out, Nathan Zanger singled. With two outs, Matt Brenneisen was hit by a pitch. Luke Healy then followed with a double, driving in two runs. RJ Jimerson drew a walk and Paul Gilmore followed with a walk to load the bases. But the Hearts got out of further damage on a fielder's choice grounder.

It was then the Hearts turn in the second inning. Jackson Lee led off with a double. Back-to-back walks to Nick Bishop and Zach Lee loaded the bases. With one out, Colin Fielitz hit a grounder that was fielded and was thrown home getting Lee out for a fielder's choice.

With the bases still loaded, Kendall Ballman was hit by a pitch forcing home the first run. Tanner Gordon followed with a single scoring another run. Cooper Jackson drew a walk that scored the third run. Sacred Heart Griffin finally got out the inning on a fly ball.

And that's where the scoring stayed. The Cyclones put runners on base in the third and fifth but couldn't bring them home.

The Hearts' Ballman reached third in the fourth but was left stranded. Brayton Poland reached on a walk in the fifth. Zach Lee singled in the sixth and Parker Wolfe followed with a single. Both were sacrified over but a strikeout and ground out followed to end the threat.

EHS' Poland doubled in the seventh but was left on base.

The Cyclones threatened in the bottom of the seventh. Sam Antonacci reached base on an error. J. Lee got the next batter on a strikeout and the second on a fly ball. But Jimerson was hit by a pitch and Gilmore walked to load the bases. Lee then got tough and struck out the final batter to end the game.

J. Lee got the win on the mound after going 6.1 innings in relief, allowing three hits, two walks and striking out 10.

Both teams had five hits while EHS committed three errors. The Hearts, according to Coach Chris Fleener, reached home at 3 a.m.

In the opening game, Chatham Glenwood downed Charleston, 6-2.

EHS will now take on Chatham Glenwood for the sectional championship at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Class 3A Springfield SHG Sectional

Effingham                         030    000    0    --    3-5-3

Springfield SHG               200    000    0    --    2-5-0

WP -- J. Lee. LP -- Kraft.

Effingham -- Ballman, 1 RBI; Gordon, 2 singles, 1 RBI; Jackson, 1 RBI; Poland, double; J. Lee, double; Wolfe, single

Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin -- Thompson, single; Zanger, single; Antonacci, 2 singles; Healey, double, 2 RBI