EFFINGHAM — From the start of the game, it looked like Effingham pitcher Jude Traub would only need one run to get the job done and give the Flaming Hearts the City Series plaque.
The sophomore was dealing, retiring the first 10 St. Anthony batters on Saturday in the rubber game of the series. Both teams split the first two games. The third game was initially set for Friday at 7 p.m., but the weather said otherwise, and the game was postponed to Saturday at 11 a.m. at Paul Smith Field.
Traub started the game by getting Will Fearday to fly out and Brady Hatton and Brock Fearday to strike out.
Andrew Wagoner drew a walk to open the bottom of the first.
Carter Braddy then hit into a fielder’s choice, Bulldogs pitcher Aiden Lauritzen electing to get the out at second.
Colton Webb was hit by a pitch in his first at-bat. Braddy then stole third base and Traub drove him in on a fielder’s choice to short.
Max Flack struck out looking to retire the side.
Traub followed his perfect first with a perfect second. He got Lauritzen to ground out to second and Henry Brent and Sam Link to fly out in their respective at-bats.
Brody Boehm flew out to start the bottom of the second.
Brayden Tucker hit a double and advanced to third on a fielder’s choice by Max Seachrist.
Wyatt Hayes grounded out to third to end the frame and leave Tucker stranded 90 feet from home plate.
Traub got Alex Mayer to ground out in the top of the third. Charlie Spour then struck out before Vincent Vogel lined out to third.
Lauritzen worked his first clean inning in the bottom of the third.
He got Wagoner and Braddy to fly out and struck out Webb on five pitches.
Will Fearday flew out to center to start the top of the fourth.
Hatton then reached on a single to right.
Traub worked around the hit, getting Brock Fearday and Lauritzen to strike out.
Traub led off the bottom of the fourth by reaching on an error by the St. Anthony left fielder.
He didn’t stay long at first, as Traub was forced out by Brock Fearday at second.
That base-running mistake proved to be costly, as Flack hit a solo home run on the ninth pitch of his at-bat to make it 2-0.
Boehm followed with a fly out to center and Tucker grounded out to second to end the inning.
Sam Link hit a one-out single to open the fifth.
Mayer grounded into a double play after that to end any chance of the Bulldogs coming back in the frame.
Lauritzen got Seachrist to ground out in the bottom of the inning. He was then replaced by Joseph Tegeler after reaching his pitch limit.
Tegeler yielded a single to Hayes before striking out Wagoner and Braddy.
The Bulldogs figured out Traub in the top of the sixth.
After Spour grounded out to start the frame, Vogel laid down a bunt single.
Will Fearday then struck out. Hatton hit a single and Brock Fearday loaded the bases with a free pass.
Lauritzen and Brent then drew bases-loaded walks and Link reached on an error by the Hearts’ second baseman that gave St. A a 4-2 advantage.
“We always want to try and score first, but sometimes, that’s not how it will be,” Bulldogs head coach Tony Kreke said. “Traub was dialed in from the start and he was pitching backward and we were putting a lot of soft swings on pitches, and that’s not like us. He was being really effective, but we stayed patient and got a few hits.”
Mayer struck out to end the inning.
Tegeler got Webb to ground out in the bottom of the sixth. Traub then drew a walk before Flack flew out to left and Boehm grounded out to short.
St. A tacked on four more runs in the seventh, highlighted by a Lauritzen two-run shot to right.
EHS tried to stage a comeback in the bottom half of the frame.
Tucker and Seachrist hit back-to-back singles. Hayes then grounded into a double play and Wagoner grounded out back to the pitcher’s mound to end the contest.
“It’s always nice to end your season on a high note, getting ready for the postseason,” Kreke said. “[The Hearts] are a really good team. They’re strong one through nine. Competing against strong teams so you don’t have that never-flinch attitude [is great]. Being down 2-0 and being able to come back late just shows the resilience of this group. They stay within themselves and know we’re never out of the fight.”