EHS baseball falls to Mascoutah in Class 3A sectional semifinals
Jun. 3—One thing led to another in the fourth inning Wednesday, all of which didn't go in Effingham's favor.
Mascoutah scored five runs in the top of the frame, taking a 5-0 lead that proved to be decisive in the Hearts' 10-1 loss in a Class 3A sectional semifinal at Triad High School.
Josh McDevitt started the frame by striking out Lance Funk.
Jayden Mueller then worked a walk before Wyatt Beer answered with a single, and Trevor Geis worked the second walk of the frame to load the stations.
Mascoutah would then follow that up by scoring the next two runs in a very identical fashion — bunt attempts.
Zane Timon laid down the first attempt, scoring Mueller from third, while Timon also reached after Effingham couldn't cover the first base bag.
What Timon managed to do, Brenen Wadlow did as well, as Wadlow followed Timon's bunt with one of his own, scoring Beer from third to make it 2-0. The Hearts would get the out at first — the second of the frame — but the run-scoring would only continue.
With two outs, Mascoutah plated two more one batter later after Brendan Brock reached after an error on the Effingham third baseman to make it 4-0.
Alex Dunson would then follow that with the third walk of the frame —with Brock stealing second and third during the at-bat — before Brock plated the final run of the inning.
"We knew what they were when we got on the field," Effingham head coach Curran McNeely said. "We knew they were a team that liked to cause as much chaos as possible, and we knew they were going to lay down bunts and steal. It's unfortunate for a couple of kids in some spots that they didn't necessarily play in all year, and we didn't get it covered up."
The Hearts eventually cut into the lead, plating one in the bottom of the fourth, but Mascoutah only added on after that, scoring five more in the next three innings to make the final tally.
Effingham finishes the season with a 17-13 record.
The Hearts lose seven players off the roster, all of which McNeely spoke highly of after.
"They've stuck around; bought into our process as a coaching staff," McNeely said. "[These seniors] laid the foundation for the younger kids; for these juniors and sophomores, if you see how hard this group of seniors work in the weight room, during the offseason, and in their other sports; hats off to them."
Seniors Brayden Pals and Joe Matteson are two of those seven and have been a battery that has played together since they were little.
Both were emotional after the game, knowing that it was the last time all seven of them would be on the field together.
Pals said, "We spend all of the time together. It's all day, every day, with everyone on the team, and they're pretty much your brothers by the end of the season."
Matteson added, "I saw some college basketball player get asked this, and he said it, and people didn't believe him, but it's just the eating out. Just the things after baseball — it's something that I will never forget."
Contact EDN Sports Editor Alex Wallner at 618-510-9231 or alex.wallner@effinghamdailynews.com.
