CARBONDALE, Ill. — Making history is always something that you will never forget.
That was how the Altamont baseball team felt after its 7-6 win over Elizabethtown (Hardin County) in the Class 1A Carbondale (Southern Illinois University) Super-Sectional at Abe Martin Field.
For the first time in program history, the Indians are going to the state tournament.
However, it wasn’t smooth sailing.
The Cougars opened the game with a 1-0 lead after an RBI triple.
Kaden Davis started the bottom of the first with a ground out. Dillan Elam then hit a single and Nate Stuemke hit an RBI double, tying the game.
Keegan Schultz then reached on an error before Kaidyn Miller blasted a three-run home run to left field, making it 4-1.
Starting pitcher Kade Milleville worked a 1-2-3-inning in the top of the second.
Eli Miller started the bottom half of the frame with a ground out. Milleville then struck out before Davis hit a single. Elam then struck out to end the frame.
Stuemke then started the bottom of the third with a strikeout.
Schultz then flew out to right.
Ethan Robbins followed with a walk and Kaidyn Miller hit an RBI triple, making it 5-1.
Hardin County continued to chip away at the lead, though, scoring once in the top of the fourth and taking the lead after a four-run fifth.
The Indians rallied back, though, in the sixth.
With two outs in the frame, Eli Miller drew a walk and Milleville hit a single.
Davis then hit an RBI single to right, scoring Eli Miller to tie the game.
Then, in the seventh, Stuemke opened the frame with a punch out.
Schultz then drew a walk and Robbins flew out to center.
Kaidyn Miller then hit a single and Clayton Arnold reached on an error before Eli Miller drew a bases-loaded walk, scoring courtesy runner Justin Magelitz and vaulting Altamont to the Class 1A State Final Tournament.
The Indians will play Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley on Friday at 1 p.m. at Dozer Park in Peoria.
The winner will play either Ottawa (Marquette) or Jacksonville (Routt) for the state championship Saturday at 1 p.m. The losers of both contests will play Saturday at 10 a.m.