BLOOMINGTON - Lucas Krebs hit a three-run homer as a part of a four-run fifth to break open the game, while Tony Eberlin threw six-plus solid innings, striking out seven, as the Edwardsville baseball team won the IHSA Class 4A Illinois Wesleyan University sectional final over Bradley-Bourbonnais 5-2 at Jack Horenberger Field on the IWU campus in Bloomington.
The win marked the Tigers' 30th win of the season, and advanced Edwardsville to the IWU super-sectional/state quarterfinal game Monday night. The game was originally set for Saturday morning, but moved up to Friday night.
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The Boilermakers had a chance to break out on top in the first inning, as Thomas Offill drew a leadoff walk, and Cody Freitas was hit by a pitch one out later. Eberlin got Cal Darling to pop to the first baseman, and Offill was thrown out at third trying to steal to end the inning. Eberlin then went on to retire nine of the next 11 batters, hitting Freitas with a pitch and giving up a single to Tyler Wilson in that stretch.
The Tigers also had early opportunities, particularly in the home half of the first, as Kolten Wright singled, but was erased on a double play. Lucas Huebner also singled to right, but was stranded on a liner to the right fielder to end the inning.
BBCHS had a big chance in the top of the fourth, when Freitas was hit by a pitch, and Wilson singled to center, but Eberlin got out of the inning by getting Spencer Boudreau on a liner to right.
The Tigers took the lead in the bottom of the fourth, with Huebner singling to left with one out, then courtesy runner Evan Moore stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. Moore came in on Chase Alwardt's single to center to give the Edwardsville a 1-0 lead. Greyson Rathgeb drew a walk, but a double play ended the inning.
In the fifth, Edwardsville broke the game open, starting with a Logan Porter single, and pinch hitter Tyler Powell drew a walk. An infield single by Wright brought in Porter to make it 2-0, then on a 2-0 pitch, Krebs delivered the biggest blow of the game, blasting a three-run homer over the left field fence to make it 5-0. Alwardt singled with two out, but Rathgeb flew to center to end the inning.
Eberlin continued to cruise along, but ran into trouble in the top of the seventh, when Caleb Mcburnie reached on a dropped third strike to lead off the inning, which was ruled a wild pitch, then Andrew Schweigert walked. Hunter Baugh came in to pitch from the outfield, and was greeted with a double to center that scored courtesy runner Jace Boudreau to make it 5-1. Offill was called out on strikes for the first out, and a ground out to second by Kason Bynum scored Schweigert to make it 5-2. Baugh then struck out Freitas to end the game and put Edwardsville through to the super-sectional.
The Boilermakers end their season at 15-20, while the Tigers are now 30-8, and move on to the IWU super-sectional against Downers Grove North, who won the Plainfield North sectional over Aurora Waubonsie Valley 3-2, Monday night at 6 p.m. The winner goes to the state semifinals next Friday, June 7, at Slammers Stadium against the winner of the Crestwood Ozinga Field super-sectional, either Chicago Mt. Carmel Catholic and New Lenox Providence Catholic, at 4 p.m. The third-place game is set for Saturday, June 8 at 4 p.m., with the state final set for 7 p.m.
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