Russell Conwell/Student Correspondent
Darren Kinnard
Section618.com
BENTON — The Du Quoin Indians built a big lead and then had to hold off a furious Anna-Jonesboro rally to beat the Wildcats 10-8 and advance to the Benton 2A Baseball Sectional championship game.
The Wildcats started the scoring in the top of the first, putting runners on second and third with one out for Hayden Ralls. Ralls hit a two-run single to give A-J a 2-0 lead.
The Indians responded quickly with Caden Hutchens and Owen Cornett reaching second and third in the bottom of the first. David Lee’s groundout scored Hutchens, then Gage Green delivered a two-out single to score Cornett to tie the game 2-2.
In the top of the second, A-J loaded the bases, but Lee got out of trouble getting Ethan Ames to pop out to Hutchens at short to end the inning.
After the Wildcats got the first two outs in the bottom of the second, Du Quoin’s PJ Winters drew a walk and stole second. Peyton Foster reached first on a dropped third strike with Winters taking third. After Foster stole second, both runners scored on an A-J error for a 4-2 Indians’ lead.
In the Bottom of 3rd, Lee drew a walk. Courtesy runner Aiden Bradley advanced to third on Green’s single, and then scored when Camden Waller hit into a double play.
The Indians added to their lead in the fourth. Winters drew a walk, stole second and later advanced to third on a fielding error. Cornett singled him home to make the lead 6-2 Du Quoin.
The Indians threatened to break it open in the fifth. Winters hit a bases-loaded RBI single to make it 7-2, but the Wildcats got out of the jam only allowing one run.
Cornett drew a walk to lead off the sixth, and Lee was hit by a pitch. Luke Bauman, pinch running for Cornett, came around to score on another RBI single from Green. Lee later scored when Gavin Morgan hit a sacrifice fly. Green later scored on an error to extend the Indians’ lead to 10-2.
Down to their last chance and down eight runs, the Wildcats made it interesting. Dylan Harvel and Ralls drew walks, and Ethan Ames singled to load the bases. Mason Watkins hit a fly ball off the fence to score Harvel. Kyle Jerrell followed with a walk to score another run to cut it to 10-4. After a pop out and a strikeout, an errant throw allowed two more runs to score, making it 10-6. A wild pitch allowed another Wildcats’ run to score to make it 10-7. A-J loaded the bases again and drew another walk to make the score 10-8. With the tying and go ahead runs on base, Waller came on for Du Quoin and got Ralls to ground out to end the game.
Du Quoin improves to 20-11. The Indians will now play Freeburg Midgets in the sectional championship game Saturday morning at 11:00.
The Wildcats finish their season 17-12