St. A Baseball Season Comes To Close In Super-Sectional

The Bulldogs moved ahead in the top of the first as Beau Adams doubled. Eli Levitt drew a walk but was out on a fielder's choice on a ball hit by Brock Fearday. Connor Roepke was hit by a pitch. Aiden Lauritzen then reached on a fielder's choice as Adams scored. Lauritzen drew the RBI.

But Goreville took advantage of two walks in the bottom half of the inning. Cole Tripp drew a walk and went to second on a wild pitch. Hunter Francis followed with walk. Ty Suits then singled to load the bases. Jan Sopezak followed with a single, scoring two runs. The Bulldogs toughened up to get the next three batters on a fly ball and two strikeouts, but the damage had been done.

The Bulldogs mounted a comeback, scoring two runs in the second. With one out, Will Hoene singled and Ryan Schmidt followed by drawing a walk. Adams walked to load the bases. Levitt followed with his second walk and that scored a run. Fearday then doubled home two runs and the Bulldogs had tied the score at 4-4.

St. Anthony moved ahead with a run in the top of the third. Max Koenig drew a walk as did Brock Jansen. Hoene followed with a single. Schmidt reached on a fielder's choice that scored Koenig.

But the lead was short-lived. The Blackhawks came back to tally two in the bottom of the frame. Suits led off with a double. Sopezak reached on a fielder's choice and took second on a passed ball. Garrett Church drew a walk. Drake Moss singled and Zach Green was hit by a pitch and that scored a run. When the dust cleared, Goreville held a 6-5 lead and that's where the scoring ended.

The Bulldogs went up and down in the fourth and fifth innings before putting runners on base in the sixth only to leave them stranded. The Bulldogs rumbled again in the top of the seventh only to leave two more stranded and the game ended.

St. Anthony finished the season with a 27-5 record. Goreville advanced to the Class 1A State Tournament with a 30-14 mark. The Blackhawks will meet Waterloo Gilbault Catholic at 10 a.m. Friday while Sterilng Newman Central Catholic will take on Henry-Senachwine at noon. The winners advance to the state championship Saturday at 11:30 a.m. while the losers will play for third place at 9.

Class 1A Carbondale Super-Sectional

St. Anthony               131    000    0    --    5-7-3

Goreville                    402    000    x    --    6-7-0

WP -- Cloud. LP -- Levitt.

St. Anthony -- Adams, double; Levitt, 1 RBI; Fearday, double, 2 RBI; Lauritzen, single; Jansen, single; Hoene, 2 singles, double; Schmidt, 1 RBI

Goreville -- Suits, 2 singles, double; Sopczak, single, 2 RBI; Chruch, single; Moss, single; Green, single, 1 RBI