Local Sports

HS Baseball: Maroa-Forsyth Walks Off on Monticell to Advance to State

In a game heard on WEZC and at dewittdailynews.com, Kaiden Maurer's two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning brought in two runs to lift Maroa-Forsyth past Monticello in Class 2A Supersectional high school boy's baseball action Monday from Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield.

 

Jaxson Grubbs went eight innings of three-run ball, two were earned. He hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning that gave the Trojans a 2-1 lead.

 

Joey Sprinkle, who fired five innings of one-run ball, hit a game-tying home run in the sixth inning. 

 

In the top of the eighth inning, Jacob Trusner struck out but beat out the dropped third strike to reach with one out. Trusner ended up at third on a passed ball and sac-fly to right field.

 

Thomas Swartz struck out and also beat out a dropped third strike and on the throw to first, Trusner broke for home and scored to give Monticello the 3-2 lead.

 

In the last of the eighth, Triston Foran, who relieved Sprinkle with a scoreless seventh inning, retired the first batter but then walked Rheys Sams-Moore.

 

He got the next batter but allowed a two-out single to Grant Reid. Then Foran balked while facing Maurer.

 

Maurer got two strikes against him but battled to foul a couple of pitches and get the count to 3-2 and laced the payoff pitch to left field. A brief bobble gave Reid just enough time to beat out the throw to the plate as the Trojans stormed the field in elation.

 

Monticello's first five in the batting order were largely silent for most of the night going just 2-for-19 with Sprinkle's home run being the only run-scoring hit from the group.

 

Thomas Swartz was 2-for-4 and Colton Vance went 3-for-4 from the sixth and seventh spots in the order. 

 

Sprinkle faced just two batters over the minimum in five innings of two-run ball striking out five, walking one, and allowing two hits. 

 

Grubbs got the win, going eight innings, allowed three runs, two were earned, on eight hits with seven strikeouts and hit a batter.

 

The Trojans advance to Friday's state semifinals in Peoria improving to 32-1. 

 

Monticello finishes its senior season 23-9. 

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