Published on June 8, 2026 4:43 pm
Last Updated on June 9, 2026 8:15 am
The North Clay Cardinals defeated Goreville 8-0 to advance to the 1A State Semifinals. The Cardinals will play the winner of the Dekalb (NIU) Super Sectional, either Galena or Putnam County, Friday afternoon at 1:00pm. That game, along with other 1A contests were postponed until today due to weather.
The Cardinals led 2-0 after the first three batters as Jack Compton reached on an error, Cayden Craig tripled into left center for and RBI and scored on infield single by Ian Jones.
After relatively quiet 2nd and 3rd innings North Clay got on the board again in the top of the 4th as Cody Zimdars picked up a one out single, Trent Ingram earned a walk, Trevan Sidwell loaded the bases with an infield hit. After a strikeout for the 2nd out in the inning Cooper Lewis got an RBI working a full count walk for North Clay’s 3rd run of the game.
Meanwhile after issuing a leadoff walk in the 1st, Jack Compton was dominate on the mound for North Clay as he got a 4-6-3 double play and a ground out to 2nd to end the 1st. Goreville grounded out twice and had fly ball to left in the 2nd, Compton struck out the side in the 3rd and set the Blackcats down in order again in the 4th inning with two more strikeouts and another fly out to left.
Goreville had their only real threat in the bottom of the 5th as with one out Nick King singled. Carder Walden made a diving stop and scrabbled back to the first base bag to get the second out. Compton then allowed his second walk of the day to put two on with two out. After a long at bat Lawson Land grounded out to the second basemen on a full count pitch ended the only Goreville threat.
North Clay picked up an insurance run in the top of the 6th as Cody Zimdars doubled down the left field line and came home on a perfectly placed single into right center field.
Ian Jones came into pitch the bottom of the 6th for the Cardinals striking out the first two he faced and induced a fly out to left field.
The Cardinals blew the game open in the top of the 7th scoring 4 runs for and 8-0 lead. Compton was hit by a pitch, Jones was walked with one out, Walden drove in a run with a single, Zimdars drew a walk, Ingram grounded into a fielders choice with bases loaded for an RBI and a throwing error allowed a second run to score on the play. Ben Czyzewski, courtesy running for Ingram, avoided a tag and stole home as the runner at first invited a throw allowing Czyzewski to break for home. The top of the 7th ended as Cooper Lewis singled solidly to left but Sidwell was thrown out at the plate on a close play.
Goreville popped out to the catcher on the 1st pitch in the bottom of the 7th. The second batter squibbed a ball up the third base line, Jones bounced off the mound made a sliding stop and threw to first to get the second out by a half step. The final out was a ground ball to the second basemen as North Clay began a celebration as the Cardinals return to final four.
North Clay moves on with a record of 35-4. Goreville’s season ends at 28-6.
North Clay will play in the second semifinal of the day scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. at Illini Field on the University of Illinois Campus. Fans are advised that the admission price will be $15 cash or $11 digital.
We will have coverage of the contest beginning at 12:45 on Classic Hits 97.9 XFM.