Tuscola baseball takes third at state series
By Kayleigh Rahn
The Tuscola baseball team set a goal in March to still be playing ball in June.
And on Saturday, June 2, the boys secured the third place title in the 2A IHSA State Finals at Peoria’s Dozer Park.
After a disappointing semi-final loss to the eventual state champions, the boys bounced back to shut out a final four team, Herscher, 9-0.
The Warriors were lead by Noah Pierce (12-2) who tallied 11 strikeouts through 6 1/3 innings of work. Pierce struck out three in the top of the first, setting the tone for the Warriors’ win.
Leading off for the Warriors, Dalton Hoel reached on a walk followed by a single by Lucas Kresin that moved Hoel to third. Brayden VonLanken made contact that resulted in a Herscher error that scored Hoel. Cade Kresin kept the fun rolling with another RBI single that pushed L. Kresin across the plate.
Tyler Meinhold reached on a fielder’s choice that moved VonLanken to third. Meinhold, while being an aggressive base runner, was caught in a rundown that allowed VonLanken to score.
The Warriors led 3-0 heading into the second.
The Tigers sat down in order in the second and failed to get anything going through the third before the Warriors had the top of the order back at the plate.
Hoel doubled to left center, and moved to third after L. Kresin made contact, and scored on a VonLanken single to left.
The fourth continued much the same for the Tigers as Pierce collected a couple more strikeouts, and the Warriors continued the fun on offense.
Meinhold singled to center before Pierce was walked and Hunter Hutcherson was called on to pitch run. A wild pitch to Cale Sementi advanced Meinhold and Hutcherson. Sementi made contact with an RBI single that pushed Meinhold and Hutcherson home. Sementi headed to second as the Tigers attempted to make a play at the plate.
The full story can be found in the Wednesday, June 6 edition of The Tuscola Journal.