Published on October 8, 2026 7:44 am
Last Updated on October 8, 2026 7:44 am
South Central struck early then had to come back to finish the game off over Effingham St. Anthony in an extra inning to advance to the championship game of the National Trail Conference Baseball Tournament Wednesday, 5-3.
The two teams did not score in the first two innings. South Central moved ahead 2-0 in the third. Sebastian Kruger led off the frame witih a single and took second on a passed ball. With one out, Jordan Smith singled and Kruger went to third. Luke Shumate followed with a single that scored Kruger. Smith stole second and came home on a wild pitch.
St. Anthony came back in the fourth putting two runners on base as Blake Verdeyen and Jonny Gannaway singled. But the Cougars got out of the inning unscathed.
The Bulldogs tied the score in the sixth. Alex Mayer led off the frame with a single. With one out, Blake Verdeyen singled. Jonny Gannaway followed with a single that scored Mayer. Chase Dorris was intentionally walked to load the bases. Quentin Stephens then grounded out and Verdeyen scored and the game was tied.
South Central moved ahead with a run in the seventh as Colten Tockstein drew walk. Garrett Shumate singled. Tockstein eventually came home and the Cougars held a 3-2 lead.
But St. Anthony knotted the score in the seventh. With two outs, Mayer and Tingley drew back-to-back walks. Verdeyen singled home the tying run.
The game went into the eighth where the Cougars scored two runs. Ryker Dodson drew a walk. With one out, Tockstein drew a walk. A double by Shumate brought a Dodson home and Shumate eventually scored for the 5-3 lead.
St. Anthony made a comeback bid in the bottom of the eighth. With one out, Conner Storm drew a walk but was thrown out on a fielder’s choice as Ben McDonald put the ball in play. Will Vonderheide singled. But the two runners were left stranded as South Central got the final two outs for the win.
G. Shumate was the winning pitcher. He went 7.1 innings giving up three runs on six hits. He walked eight and struck out two. He also aided his own cause with two singles, a double and an RBI. L. Shumate finished with a single and an RBI and Jordan Smith had two singles.
St. Anthony was led by Gannaway and Verdeyen with two singles each. Gannaway added an RBI.
South Central advances to the championship game at noon Saturday against Windsor/Stewardson-Srasburg at Brownstown/St. Elmo.
St. Anthony drops into the third place contest to face Dieterich at 10 a.m.
NTC Tournament
Game Seven
South Central 002 000 120 — 5-7-3
St. Anthony 000 002 100 — 3-7-3
WP — G. Shumate. LP — Verdeyen.
South Central — L. Shumate, single, 1 RBI; G. Shumate, 2 singles, double, 1 RBI; Kruger, single; Smith, 2 singles
St. Anthony — Mayer, single; Verdeyen, 2 singles; Gannaway, 2 singles, 1 RBI; Stephens, 1 RBI; Storm, single; Vonderheide, single