Altamont, St. Anthony Headed To State Baseball Tournaments

FARINA -- Altamont claimed two one-run victories Saturday and Monday and are headed to the Class 1A State Baseball Tournament at Peoria's Dozer Park.

The Indians won the Class 1A South Central Sectional over the host squad by a 5-4 count Saturday.

The score was knotted at 1-1 after two innings before Altamont moved ahead 2-1 in the third. The Cougars tied in the fourth only to see Altamont go into a 4-2 lead in the fifth.

South Central then tied the score at 4-4 in the top of the sixth. Altamont came back with what would prove to be the winning run in the bottom of the sixth when Ethan Robbins had a two-out RBI.

Altamont had nine hits but had difficulty on the defensive side with six errors. Kaden Davis and Dillan Elam went two-for-four with two singles apiece. Keegan Schultz drew two walks and had a single and an RBI. Kaidyn Miller had a single and two RBI.

Elam went the seven innings on the mound, allowing four runs on seven hits, two walks while striking out five.

South Central was led by Zane Montes with two singles and two RBI and Callaway Smith with two singles.

Altamont then headed to the Carbondale SIU Super-sectional to face Hardin County.

This time the Indians struck quickly, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first for a 4-1 lead. With one out, Dillan Elam singled and came home on a double by Nathan Stuemke. Schultz reached base on an error. With two outs, K. Miller knocked out a home run and suddenly the Indians had moved ahead.

Hardin County came back with a run in the fourth and four in the fifth to move into a 6-5 lead. Hardin County had three hits in the fifth along with drawing a walk.

Altamont tied the score in the sixth. With two outs, Robbins drew a walk and sailed home on a triple by K. Miller.

With one out registered in the seventh, Schultz drew a walk. With two outs, K. Miller singled. Clayton Arnold reached on an error to load the bases. E. Miller then drew a walk and the winning run scored for Altamont.

K. Miller led the way for Altamont with a single, triple, home run and four RBI. Nathan Stuemke added a double and an RBI while Davis had two singles and an RBI. Elam finished with a single and double and E. Miller an RBI.

Milleville picked up the pitching win, throwing all seven innings, allowing six runs on six hits, two walks and striking out five.

The Indians improved to 30-9 on the season and will head to the Class 1A State Tournament Friday where they will face Gibson City/Melvin Sibley at 1 p.m. The winner advances to the State championship Saturday at 1 p.m. while the loser will drop into the third place game at 10 a.m. In the other game Friday, Ottawa Marquette takes on Jacksonville Routt at 10 a.m.

Thursday will be the send-off for Altamont with a 1 p.m. departure. Fans are asked to line the streets, honk horns and cheer. They will head from the high school south on Division Street to Main Street, then south to the interstate.

A Welcome Home ceremony will be Sunday, June 2 at the Altamont High School baseball field at 2 p.m.

Class 1A South Central Sectional

Championship

South Central                  010    102    0    --    4-7-0

Altamont                          011    021    x    --    5-9-6

WP -- Elam. LP -- Ca. Smith.

South Central -- Ca. Smith, 2 singles; Robb, single; West, single; Markley, single; Montes, 2 singles, 2 RBI; Hoover, 2 RBI

Altamont -- Davis, 2 singles; Elam, 2 singles; Schultz, single, 1 RBI; Robbins, single, 1 RBI; K. Miller, single, 2 RBI; Milleville, 2 singles, 1 RBI

Class 1A Carbondale Super-Sectional

Hardin Co.                   100    140    0    --    6-6-2

Altamont                      401    001    1    --   7-9-2

WP -- Milleville. LP -- Dutton.

Hardin County -- Snyder, double, triple, 3 RBI; Austin, 1 RBI; Banks, 1 RBI; Borum, single; Massie, single, 1 RBI; Gibbons, triple; Fricker, single

Altamont -- Davis, 2 singles, 1 RBI; Elam, single, double; Stuemke, double, 1 RBI; K. Miller, single, triple, home run, 4 RBI; E. Miller, 1 RBI; Milleville, single

At Greenville

Effingham St. Anthony claimed the Class 2A Greenville Sectional Saturday.

It was a battle between two high school teams that know each other better than any other teams as Effingham St. Anthony and Teutopolis squared off for the championship of the Class 2A Greenville Sectional Saturday.

The two squads went through five scoreless innings before T-town broke into a 1-0 lead in the sixth. Davin Worman led off the bottom of the sixth with a single, stole second and moved up to third on a fly out to right center by Mick Niebrugge. He scored on a sacrifice fly by Austin Borries.

St. Anthony then tallied two runs in the top of the seventh to move ahead 2-1. Brady Hatton hit a home run on the first pitch in the top of the seventh to tie the game. Sam Link then doubled, moved to third with one out on a wild pitch. Max Koenig then hit a sacrifice bunt scoring Link with the go-ahead run.

Brock Fearday held T-town down in the bottom of the seventh. He sruck out the side with 10 pitches to score the win.

Fearday went the distance, giving up one run on three hits, one walk while putting up seven strikeouts.

Borries finished with a single and an RBI for T-town as Worman and Mitch Koester had a single each.

St. Anthony was led by Hatton's home run. Connor Roepke, Link and Will Fearday all had a single each. Koenig had an RBI.

St. Anthony moved on to the Carbondale Super-Sectional at SIU Monday.

The Bulldogs tallied three runs in the first inning and tacked on single runs in the second and seventh behind eight hits.

Aiden Lauritzen went seven innings, allowing no runs on three hits, six walks and striking out four.

Meanwhile St. Anthony had eight hits led by Hatton with two singles, a double and two RBI while Roepke added a single, triple and an RBI. Link had a triple and an RBI. Lauritzen added a single and an RBI.

The Bulldogs head to the Class 2A State Tournament at Peoria's Dozer Park to face Wilmington at 7 p.m. Friday in opening round play. In the first game, Maroa-Forsyth takes on Sterling Newman Central Catholic at 4.

The winner advances to the State championship at 7 p.m. Saturday while the loser will play for third place at 4 p.m.

Tickets are $11 digital tickets through GoFan or $12 at the gate.

All concession stands at Dozer Park are cashless. Fans must use a credit or debit card to purchase concession stand items.

Celebration plans for Effingham St. Anthony fans include: Sunday, a 1:30 p.m. parade starting at the KC Hall. Go to HS Gym start at 1:45-2 p.m. with Greg Sapp as the MC followed by cake and punch in the multi-purpose room. This will be for first, second or third place finish.

For fourth place, no parade but 1:30 p.m. at the high school gym followed by cake and punch in the multi-purpose room.

Class 2A Greenville Sectional

Championship

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

Teutopolis                     000    001    0    --    1-3-2

WP -- B. Fearday. LP -- Gaddis.

St. Anthony -- Roepke, single; Hatton, home run, 1 RBI; Link, single; W. Fearday, single; Koenig, 1 RBI

Teutopolis -- Worman, single; Borries, single, 1 RBI; Koester, single

Class 2A Carbondale SIU Super-sectional

St. Anthony                   310    000    1    --    5-8-0

Mount Carmel               000    000    0    --    0-3-0

WP -- Lauritzen. LP -- Mounts.

St. Anthony -- Lauritzen, single, 1 RBI; Roepke, single, triple 1 RBI; Hatton, 2 singles, double, 2 RBI; Link, triple, 1 RBI; Brent, single

Mount Carmel -- Banks, single; Mounts, single; Meador, single