EHS, St. Anthony Split in City Series

The City Series opened with a bang Wednesday evening as Effingham and Effingham St. Anthony split baseball victories sending the annual event into a third contest.

St. Anthony won the opener 2-1 while Effingham came back to claim the nightcap 4-1. Now it's up to the weather as to when the series finale will be contested. The third game is set for today but barring stormy weather, the final game may be played Friday.

St. Anthony 2, Effingham 1

In the opener, the Hearts edged out to a 1-0 first inning lead. Drew Levitt doubled and came home later on a wild pitch.

It was quiet for the Bulldogs in the opening two innings with Eric Gurtner reaching on a walk but left standing at second.

Then in the third inning, Lorenz reached base on a single but was thrown out. Ben Hecht then singled and Bushur lifted a home run over the fence to give the  Bulldogs a 2-1 lead and that's all it took.

Zach Gardewine picked up the pitching win on a four-hitter. He was especially effective after allowing one run in the first. The Hearts had only four baserunners on over the next six innings.

Effingham 4, St. Anthony 1

St.  Anthony left two runners stranded over the first two innings before taking a 1-0 lead in the third inning. The Bulldogs Austin Bushur drew a walk with two outs. He took second on an error and came home on a single by Jacob Schuette.

That was to be the final score for the Bulldogs as Effingham came roaring back in the fifth to score four runs. With one out, Austin Webb drew a walk. Braydon Bone followed with a single and Carter Hayes banged out a single, scoring Webb. Two wild pitches aided the Hearts and a double by Drew Levitt produced an RBI.

St. Anthony had its opportunities in the fifth as Jacob Lorenz doubled and reached third base but was left stranded. St. Anthony also produced a runner in the seventh as Alex Hoelscher led off with a single and took third on a wild pitch. But the next three batters went down in order.

Bone finished with two singles and Drew Levitt a double and an RBI for the Hearts. St. Anthony was led by Schuette with two singles and an RBI and Lorenz with a double.

At Paul Smith Field

Game One

St. Anthony          002    000    0    --    2-7-2

Effingham            100    000    0    --    1-4-0

WP -- Gardewine. LP -- Mayfield.

St. Anthony -- Hecht, single; Bushur, home run (third, one on), 2 RBI; Schuette, single; Dasenbrock, single; Hoelscher, single; Schultz, single; Lorenz, single

Effingham -- Carie, single; Dr. Levitt, single, double; Daugherty, single

Game Two

St. Anthony          001    000    0    --    1-5-2

Effingham             000    040    x    --    4-4-0

WP -- Daugherty. LP -- Hoelscher.

St. Anthony -- Schuette, 2 singles, 1 RBI; Dasenbrock, single; Hoelscher, single; Lorenz, double

Effingham -- Bone, 2 singles; Hayes, single, 1 RBI; Dr. Levitt, double, 1  RBI