In a game heard on WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com, Luke Teschke struck out 13 batters across seven innings of one-run ball, Eli Craft blistered a three-run home run and Monticello rolled past Lincoln 9-1 Monday afternoon in high school baseball action from the Wilke Complex in Monticello.
Leading 9-0 and one strike away from a no-hitter, Jarrett Evans drilled an opposite-field home run on a 1-2 pitch for the Railersplitters that broked up the Monticello senior's bid at a no-hitter and shutout.
The Illinois State commit faced two over the minimum en route and matched his season-high for strikeouts. Before Evans' home run, Teschke had not allowed a hit and had issued only a free pass sitting down the first 13 batters he faced.
Teschke struck out seven in a row at one point between the final out of the first inning and the final out of the third inning.
Branden Wurth kept the Sages bats in check most of the afternoon. He permitted a run in the first. The Lincoln senior got the first two Sages before a bloop infield base hit altered by an overpowering wind Monday dropped in on the infield turf. Craft then walked before Jacob Long hit a ground ball to first base.
Lincoln could not get Long at first base and Teschke hustled all the way home from second base to score the game's first run.
The Sages applied more pressure in the fourth inning. With the runners at second and third and two outs, Raiden Colbert hit a humpback liner just beyond the second base bag that scored Colton Vance but Ike Young was thrown out easily at home plate trying to score on the play and Monticello went up 2-0.
The Sages broke the game open in the fifth inning sending ten batters to the plate highlighted by a Craft blistering three-run home run to left field that cut through a howling wind of consistently 25 MPH blowing right to left across the diamond.
Each Sage batter reached base on Monday. Colbert and Matt Swartz added RBIs for the Sages.
Teschke was the ServPro of Piatt DeWitt/Counties Player of the Game Monday.
The Railers drop to 2-3 on the season. Monticello goes to 11-0.
Hear more Sages sports on WEZC this afternoon when we bring you girls softball action against Decatur St. Teresa.
The next Sages' baseball game of the week broadcast is next Thursday when they host Heyworth.
