North Clay Enters 1A Elite Eight w/Win Over W/SS

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Published on May 28 2022 4:26 pm
Last Updated on May 28 2022 4:26 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

The North Clay/Clay City Cardinals advanced to the Elite Eight of Class 1A baseball Saturday, defeating the Windsor/Stew-Stras Hatchets 3-2 to win the St. Anthony Sectional. The game was heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com. 

The Hatchets scored first, plating a run in the first inning. Austin Wittenberg singled, then stole second base, and came home to score on a single by Gavan Wernsing.

North Clay bounced back to tie the game in the second inning. Donnie Zimmerman led things off with a single, and a ground out and a stolen base moved him to third before Layton Dawkins singled him home to make it 1-1. 

The Cardinals scored twice in the third inning. With one out, Logan Fleener doubled. An infield single by Holden Clifton gave the Cardinals runners on the corners with one out. Wernsing was called for a balk to bring home the tying run and Zimmerman brought Clifton home with the lead run.

Carter Chaney homered for Windsor/Stew-Stras in the fourth, but the Hatchets could draw no closer.

North Clay scored their three runs on eight hits and a walk. Windsor/Stew-Stras scored their two runs on four hits and two walks.

Zimmerman went the distance on the hill for North Clay, allowing two runs on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts

Gavan Wernsing went 6-2/3 innings for the Hatchets, allowing three runs on eight hits, walking one and striking out 10. Sam Vonderheide got the final out. 

At the plate for North Clay/Clay City: Collyn Ballard--single; Logan Fleener--double, single, run scored; Holden Clifton--single, walk, run scored; Donnie Zimmerman--three singles, run scored, RBI; Layton Dawkins--single, RBI

At the plate for Windsor/Stew-Stras: Austin Wittenberg--single, run scored; Tyler Wetherell--hit by pitch; Gavan Wernsing--two singles, walk, RBI; Carter Chaney--home run, run scored, RBI; Rhett Rincker--walk 

North Clay will play Steeleville Monday at 11am at SIU Carbondale's Itch Jones Stadium. Steeleville won the Goreville 1A Sectional, defeating Goreville 7-0.