Effingham Clinches 2022 Baseball City Series

The Effingham Hearts clinched the championship of the 2022 Baseball City Series Thursday.

Effingham defeated the St. Anthony Bulldogs 6-2 to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-three series. Game 3 will be played Friday at 7pm at Paul Smith Field at Community Park. It'll be Senior Night. The game can be heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com. 

Both teams didn't score in the first but the Hearts fired up the offense in the second inning. With one out, Joe Matteson was hit by a pitch and Camden Raddatz followed with a single. With two out, Gabe Eaton singled, scoring both runners for a 2-0 lead.

The Hearts then tallied three runs in the third ining to move ahead 5-0. A walk to Gauge Massey started the inning. Jack Harper knocked out a home run and the Hearts led 4-0. With two outs in the frame, Matteson singled and came home on a double by Camden Raddatz.

The score stood at 6-1 after the fifth. St. Anthony broke loose with a run as Brock Fearday was hit by a pitch and eventually came home on a single by Eli Levitt.

The Hearts tallied another run, this one in the sixth as Max Hardiek reached on an error. Matteson drew a walk. With two outs, Myles Maxedon singled, bringing home the final run for EHS.

The Bulldogs scored in the seventh as Connor Roepke drew a walk and eventually came home on a sacrifice fly by Levitt.

Quest Hull picked up the win on the mound. The hurler surrendered two runs on four hits over seven innings, stirking out six.

At Evergreen Hollow Park

St. Anthony               000    010    1    --    2-4-2

Effingham                 023    010    x    --    6-8-0

WP -- Hull. LP -- Niebrugge.

St. Anthony -- Levitt, single, 2 RBI; Adams, single; Roepke, single; Blanchette, double

Effingham -- Nichols, single; Harper, single, home run, 2 RBI; Matteson, single; Raddatz, 2 singles; Maxedon, single, 1 RBI; Eaton, single, 2 RBI