Altamont Advances to State Title Game With 3-2 Win Over GCMS

A steal of third base that led to a throwing error plated the winning run, and the Altamont Indians advanced to the state championship game with a 3-2 win over Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley at the Class 1A State Baseball Tournament in Peoria Friday. The game was heard on Classic Hits 979XFM and 979xfm.com. 

Altamont will play Ottawa Marquette for the 1A state championship at 1pm Saturday. You can hear that game, as well, on 979XFM.

The Indians edged out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Kaidyn Miller got things rolling with a double to left field. Riley Berg then followed with a single that pushed Miller to third base. With two outs, Kade Milleville singled to left field and Miller scored and the Indians were off and running.

Gibson City-Melvin Sibley moved ahead in the fourth inning 2-1. The frame started with a couple of freebies as Brayden Elliott drew a walk and Zach Prce was hit by a pitch and both ended up scoring for the lead.

But the Indians came back to knot the score in the bottom of the frame. Once again, K. Miller started the scoring run, this time by hitting a ground ball and reaching on an error by the third baseman. Berg sacrified to move Miller over to second. With two outs, Milleville singled on a pop fly to right field and Miler scored.

The two teams were silent on the scoring front in the fifth and sixth innings. Gibson City-Melvin Sibley got a runner on in the seventh when David Hull singled. But Elliott popped into a double play and second baseman Riley Berg threw to first base getting the double play.

Then it was Altamont's turn at the plate. Kaden Davis led off with a line drive single to center field. Dilan Ellam followed with a single to left field and Davis took second. With one out, Davis stole third and then came home on an error by the catcher for the winning run.

The Indians finished with nine hits in the contest led by Milleville with two singles and two RBI, Elam with two singles and K. Miller with a double.

Elam went six innings on the mound, allowing two runs on three hits, four walks and striking out three. He left in the seventh for Eli Miller who then picked up the win, giving up one hit.

Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley dropped to 22-8-1 on the season and will be facing Jacksonville Routt (32-8) for third place at 10 a.m.

Altamont advances with a 31-9 record and will meet Ottawa Marquette, a 9-3 winner over Jacksonville Routt at 1 p.m. Ottawa Marquette sports a 30-2 mark.

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

Class 1A State Tournament

GCMS                   000    200    0    --    2-4-3

Altamont               010    100    1    --    3-9-2

WP -- E. Miller. LP -- Nettleon.

Gibson City/Melvin Sibley -- Hull, single; Elliott, single; Leonard, single; Nettleton, 1 RBI; Johnson, single, 1 RBI

Altamont -- Davis, single; Elam, 2 singles; Stuemke, single; K. Miller  double; Berg, single; E. Miller, single; Milleville, 2 singles, 2 RBI