Published on October 9, 2025 7:05 am
Last Updated on October 9, 2025 7:09 am
BY DUSTIN WHITE
Top-seeded St. Anthony didn’t take the lead until the bottom of the sixth inning Wednesday, but it was just enough to get past Windsor/Stew-Stras 3-1 in the semifinal round of the National Trail Conference baseball tournament.
The Hatchets, seeded fifth, got their only run off St. A starter Aiden Lauritzen in the top of the third; Carter Verdeyen’s RBI infield hit scored Mason Manhart, who also reached on an infield hit, from third.
For quite a while, Hatchets starter Grayson McCray made that run stand up. He had an excellent afternoon, but allowed his first runner past second base when Xander Beals tripled off the glove of the left fielder at the warning track to lead off the fifth. The next batter, Henry Brent, promptly singled him home to tie the game.
In the sixth, Alex Mayer ripped a leadoff double to left and alertly moved to third on Will Bierman’s groundout to third. That set up a successful squeeze play from Quentin Stephens, who also reached when first baseman slipped charging his bunt. An insurance tally came an out later when Chase Dorris’s pop fly to shallow center was dropped.
Lauritzen went the distance for the Bulldogs, scattering eight hits without a walk. He struck out six and made pitches in several key spots to leave runners on base
St. Anthony’s pitcher also induced a pair of double plays, although one — in the same third inning during which the Hatchets scored their only run — was a liner ripped back to the mound by Oliver Wascher that Lauritzen snared and doubled Wyatt Wetherell off first base.
McCray took a tough luck loss for WSS, throwing all six innings and allowing six hits, a couple walks, and a hit batsman. He struck out four.
St. Anthony and North Clay will meet for the championship at noon Saturday while Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg and Altamont square off for third at 10 a.m. Both games will be played at North Clay.
At St. Anthony
Windsor/Stew-Stras 001 000 0 — 1-8-1
St. Anthony 000 012 x — 3-6-2
WP — Lauritzen. LP — McCray.
Windsor/Stew-Stras — Wetherell, single; Wascher, single; Verdeyen, 2 singles, double, RBI; Tingley, 2 singles; Manhart, single
St. Anthony — Brent, single, RBI; Lauritzen, single; Mayer, single, double; Stephens, single, RBI; Beals, triple
At Louisville
North Clay/Clay City broke a 2-2 tie with a three-run fifth and went on for a 5-2 win over Altamont Wednesday in the National Trail Conference Tournament.
NC/CC opened up with a 1-0 first inning lead after Cody Zimdars singled, scoring the run. The Cardinals then tallied a second run to lead 2-0 in the fourth.
But Altamont fought back in the top of the fifth to tie the score thanks to a double by Kade Milleville and a single by Cooper McManaway.
The Cardinals then came back in the bottom of the fifth after Altamont committed an error, Trenton Ingram singled and Trevan Sidwell grounded out, each scoring a run and the Cardinals moved into a 5-2 lead.
And that’s where the scoring ended for both teams.
North Clay/Clay City piled up 10 hits. Ingram, Zimdars and Compton each collected two hits. Zimdars had a single, double and an RBI while Compton had a single and double. Ingram finished with two singles and an RBI. Sidwell and Cooper Lewis had a single and an RBI each.
Compton started the contest on the mound, going five innings, giving up two runs on six hits, walking one and striking out nine. Zimdars came on to finish out the final two frames, giving up a hit and striking out four.
Milleville and McManaway were a force for Altamont in the lineup. Milleville had a single, double and an RBI while McManaway had two singles and an RBI. Brayden Elam added a double.
St. Anthony and North Clay will meet for the championship at noon Saturday while Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg and Altamont square off for third at 10 a.m. Both games will be played at North Clay.
At North Clay
Altamont 000 020 0 — 2- 7-2
North Clay/Clay City 100 130 x — 5-10-0
WP — Zimdars. LP — Milleville.
Altamont — K. Milleville, single, double, 1 RBI; McManaway, 2 singles, 1 RBI; Elam, double; C. Milleville, single; Stuemke, single
North Clay/Clay City — Compton, single, double; Craig, single; Zimdars, single, double, 1 RBI; Walden, single; Ingram, 2 singles, 1 RBI; Sidwell, single, 1 RBI; Lewis, single, 1 RBI