PEORIA — And then there were two.
For the first time since 2012, the St. Anthony baseball team will play for a state championship. The Bulldogs earned that opportunity after a dominating 12-1 victory over Wilmington in a state semifinal of the Class 2A State Final Tournament at Dozer Park in Peoria.
St. Anthony scored in all but two innings in the game.
Aiden Lauritzen started the first inning with a base hit. Brock Fearday then hit a double, pushing Lauritzen to third and both runners scored after Connor Roepke laced a double to center, making it 2-0.
Brock Fearday dominated on this night, as well.
And showed it early and often.
Fearday got Ryan Kettman to ground out to start the home half of the first. Lucas Rink then hit a single to left, but Cade McCubbin lined out and Roepke gunned down Rink trying to snag second base to end the frame.
Sam Link led off the top of the second with a base knock. Will Fearday then laid down a sacrifice bunt, pushing Link to second and Henry Brent followed with a base hit to put runners on the corners with one away.
Max Koenig then tried to lay down a bunt attempt but instead lined out to a diving Rink for the second out and Beau Adams popped out to second to end the frame.
Brock Fearday then got Kyle Farrell to strike out looking to start the second. Zach Ohlund then drew a walk and Reid Juster hit a single. Dierks Geiss followed with a sacrifice bunt that pushed both runners to second and third with two away.
Joe Allgood then hit a shallow single to center, scoring Ohlund.
Juster tried to tie the game, but Adams lasered a dart to Roepke, who tagged the runner out just as he was trying to slide home, ending the inning.
The Bulldogs the plated four more runs in the third.
Lauritzen drew a walk and scored one pitch later after Brock Fearday hit a triple that hit off the center field wall. Roepke then hit a single, scoring Fearday.
Link then hit a single two batters later and courtesy runner Nick Ruholl and Link scored after Will Fearday hit a shallow fly ball to right.
Brock Fearday continued his dominance from that point forward.
Farrell struck out to start the fourth.
Ohlund then reached first after an error. Juster then flew out to right and Geiss hit a single, but Allgood struck out swinging, retiring the side.
Brock Fearday then retired the side in order in the fifth. He struck out Brendan Moran and Kettman and got Rink to ground out to short.
For good measure, the Bulldogs then plated four more runs in the sixth.
Adams started with a double. Lauritzen then hit a single and Brock Fearday was intentionally walked. Adams then scored on a passed ball and Lauritzen and courtesy runner Ryan Schmidt scored on an RBI single by Hatton.
Hatton advanced to third on the advancing throw and Link drove him in on a groundout.
Brock Fearday then worked a seamless 1-2-3-inning in the bottom of the sixth.
He got McCubbin to ground out, Farrell to strikeout and Ohlund to fly out, giving the Bulldogs a win via the mercy rule.
St. Anthony advances to the state championship against Maroa-Forsyth today at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs are looking for the program’s second state championship.
Please visit effinghamdailynews.com later tonight for reaction from head coach Tony Kreke, junior Brock Fearday and senior Connor Roepke