In a game heard on WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com, Jack Buckalew threw a complete game allowing just a run leading Monticello to a 7-1 Class 2A high school boy's baseball Sectional Championship over St. Jospeh-Ogden from Millikin University in Decatur Saturday afternoon.
It looked like Monticello might not cash in on early opportunities. Biniam Lienhart started the game with a double down the left field line but was stranded on second base after Hayden Brazelton struck out the next three batters to escape the jam.
After Buckalew walked, a courtesy runner was picked off at first base but Thomas Swartz walked with one out. After Colton Vance struck out, Wade Carroll drew a walk but the inning ended on a Luke Teschke strikeout.
In the St. Joe half of the second inning, Adam Price rolled a base hit through the right side of the infield. Coby Miller popped out to third base and then Charles Voorhees lined a two-strike double to right field. In the next at-bat, Andrew Beyers scored Price from third with a sac fly and Buckalew limited the damage by striking out Griffin Roesch (rush) to end the inning.
The Sages broke through in the third when Lienhart laced a single to left to start the inning. Triston Foran floated a fly ball over second base and Joey Sprinkle drew a walk. On the next at-bat, Trusner laced a one-hop ground-rule double over the left center field fence to score two and give Monticello a 2-1 lead.
Buckalew drew a walk in the next at-bat then Swartz walked to bring in the third run and make 3-1 Monticello. Brazelton was able to get the next two batters on strikeouts. Teschke came to bat and rolled a ground ball to the left side of the infield that third baseman Tyler Autlenbaumer had carom off his glove bringing in another run and everyone moved up a base safely.
Lienhart was hit by a pitch on the left shoulder on the next at-bat to bring in the fifth and final run of the inning before Foran grounded out to shortstop to retire the side.
The defense behind Buckalew was excellent all afternoon. The junior surrendered back-to-back one-out base hits but got Voorhees to ground into a double play on a grounder to Teschke at short and Lienhart made a quick turn to first to end the Spartans threat.
In the top of the fifth inning, Vance started the inning with a walk. A sacrifice attempt by Carroll was unsuccessful and Luke Teschke popped out to deep center field. Lienhart hit a fly ball to right center field where Brazelton and Beyers had a miscommunication and the ball fell in allowing Vance to score from first and Lienhart legged out a triple to make it 6-1 Monticello.
In the sixth inning, Sprinkle started the inning with a walk. Trusner was hit by a pitch in the following at-bat. After Buckalew struck out, Swartz hit a ground ball to shortstop.
Trusner was out at second base easily and the relay throw to first base was not in time as Swartz beat out the throw but Sprinkle did not stop running at third base and beat a late throw to the play to score and make it 7-1 Sages.
In the bottom of the sixth, Luke Landrus started the inning with a base hit to right field. On the next pitch, Aultenbaumer jumped on Buckalew's first pitch and hit to Sprinkle at third who relayed to second and Lienhart laced a bullet to first base to turn a rare 5-4-3 double play that took the air out of any potential rally for the Spartans.
Lienhart finished the day 3-for-4 and a home run short of the cycle. He reached base four times, drove in two, and scored a run. Sprinkle was 0-for-2 but walked twice and scored twice. Trusner was 1-for-3 with two walks, two RBIs, and scored twice.
Buckalew at the plate was 0-for-2 but walked twice. Swartz walked twice and had an RBI.
In total, the Monticello drew nine walks and struck out 11 times.
Buckalew was the ServPro of Piatt/DeWitt County Player of the Game.
The Sages improve to 23-8 overall and will take on Maroa-Forsyth at the Lincoln Land Community College Supersectional Monday at 5 pm. Hear the action on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com.
