Published on October 12, 2026 9:12 am
Last Updated on October 12, 2026 9:12 am
South Central claimed the championship of the National Trail Conference Baseball Tournament Saturday.
The Cougars struck in the first inning. Aiden Hoover reached base when he was hit by a pitch. Ryker Dodson hit a grounder and that was fielded and thrown getting Hoover but an error allowed Dodson to come home.
Windsor/Stew-Stras tied in the third as Noah Pruemer doubled and was sacrificed over by Grayson McCray. With two outs, Wyatt Wetherell singled Pruemer home.
The Hatchets then moved ahead with a run in the fourth as Jakob Gurgel doubled. Mason Manhart was hit by a pitch. With two outs, Pruemer came through once again, this time with a single that scored Gurgel.
But the Cougars got tough, scoring four runs in the fifth and then put Windsor/Stew-Stras down in order over the next three innings.
Sebastian Kruger led off the fifth with a double and Eli Hiestand followed with a single. Jordan Smith hit a sacrifice but was safe on a fielder’s choice. With one out, Aiden Hoover doubled a run home. Dodson hit a double and scored two more runs and the Cougars were up 5-2 and that’s where the scoring ended.
Hoover was the winning pitcher. He came on in relief and went 5 1/3 innings. He struck out five and gave up two runs on four hits, and walked one.
In the third place game, St. Anthony ended this game in the fifth inning over Dieterich by the 10-run rule, 11-1.
Chase Dorris went the five innings, giving up only one hit. He walked five and struck out five.
Dieterich scored a run in the first as Traden Kessler drew a walk. Bryce Bohnhoff followed with a walk. Gavin Meinhart sacrificed the runners over. Ben Schottman then hit a sacrifice fly that scored Kessler.
But St. Anthony came back with two runs in the bottom of the first as Alex Mayer drew a walk. Freddie Jansen reached on an error and took second on a wild pitch. Blake Verdeyen followed with a single that scored Jansen. He stole second and third and came home on an error on a ball hit by Chase Dorris.
The Bulldogs lead went to 5-1 in the third. Verdeyen led off with a walk and stole second. Johnny Gannaway reached base on a walk and Dorris drew a walk. A strikeout put the first out on the board and Dorris was thrown out attempting to go to second. Conner Storm reached base on a fielder’s choice and a run came home. Hayden Bushur drew a walk and Vonderheide singled home two runs.
St. Anthony led 8-1 and the Bulldogs finished the game with three runs in the fifth. Mayer drew his second walk of the game and came home on a double by Freddie Jansen. Jansen scored on a single by Verdeyen who then stole second. With one out, Dorris singled home Verdeyen and the game ended via the 10-run rule.
At Brownstown/St. Elmo
Third Place Game
Dieterich 100 00 — 1- 1-2
St. Anthony 203 33 — 11-10-0
WP — Dorris. LP — Meinhart.
Dieterich — Niemerg, single
St. Anthony — Mayer, single; Jansen, single, 1 RBI; Verdeyen, 3 singles, 2 RBI; Gannaway, single; Dorris, single, 1 RBI; Stpehens, single, 1 RBI; Storm, 1 RBI; Vonderheide, single; Tingley, single, 2 RIB
Championship
South Central 100 040 0 — 5-7-0
Windsor/Stew-Stras 001 100 0 — 2-4-3
WP — Hoover. LP — Pruemer.
South Central — Hoover, double, 1 RBI; Dodson, double, 2 RBI; Strobel, single; Shumate, single; Kruger, single, double; Hiestand, single
Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg — N. Pruemer, single, double, 1 RBI; Wetherall, single; Gurgel, double