BASEBALL: Du Quoin eliminated from Division Tournament
Much like the Du Quoin High School baseball team that came up one win short of a trip to the State Tournament back in June, Du Quoin's Junior American Legion squad was knocked out of the 5th Division Tournament on Monday - one win short of a trip to the State Tournament.
Newton defeated Post 647 7-2 in the elimination game that decided the fourth team to advance from the 5th Division, ending Du Quoin's season with a record of 17-4, a championship at the Wooden Bat Tournament as part of a thirteen-game winning streak to start the year, and the title of 25th District champs.
The score was not indicative of how many chances Post 647 had to stay alive. Du Quoin stranded seven base runners in the game and had another runner picked off of third base.
"We were hitting the ball, we just couldn't find that hole or get that big hit when we had runners in scoring position," said Post 647 head coach Derek Sims. "That's going to hurt you if you can't do that. We hit the ball hard, but we hit it right at people most of the time. That's just part of the game."
Braden Lee (double) and Tevin Lee (single) had two-out hits in the top of the first inning, but Du Quoin failed to get either of them across and put some pressure on Post 20.
Newton made the most of their opportunities in the bottom of the inning, turning two hits, two errors, and a hit batter into a 3-0 lead against Du Quoin starter Hank Stewart.
"(We made too many mistakes), especially against a team like that," said Sims. "Defensively Newton was solid the whole game. I think the only mistake they made was a throw the catcher made over the first baseman's head there in the seventh inning. Other than that, I think they played a flawless game."
Post 647 went hitless for the next two innings before loading the bases with one out on three consecutive walks in the top of the fourth. T. Lee scored from third on a wild pitch, but that was the extent of the damage Du Quoin was able to do.
Newton tacked on two more runs in the fifth with some more help from Post 647. With Jordan Edwards on the mound after taking over for Stewart in the middle of the third inning, center fielder Clayton Funk caught a pop-up on the run for the second out and fired home to try and nab Mitch Bierman tagging from third, but the throw skipped away from catcher Ashton Smith. John Grunlah scored on a wild pitch moments later to make it 5-1.
"Defense will win you games," Sims said. "You've still got to hit the ball, but when you can play solid defense, that's huge. That's been our sore spot for the majority of the last half of the season, other than the last couple games (before tonight)."
Du Quoin threatened again in the top of the sixth when B. Lee singled and Ryan Myers walked to put two runners on with one out, but again Post 647 couldn't capitalize as the next two batters struck out.
Newton got two more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth on three hits. Brock Bullar walked and scored on Stewart's RBI single in the top of the seventh for Du Quoin's second run.
Newton hurler Brock Mammoser, and the Post 20 defense, held Post 647 to just five hits. Those came from Stewart (1-4, RBI), B. Lee (2-4, 2B), T. Lee (1-2, R, BB) and Bryce Clarry (1-2, 2B).
"All in all, it was a great season," Sims said. "It's a good group of kids. They're going to be very successful at the high school level. I couldn't be more proud of them. To start the season winning the Wooden Bat Tournament, ending the regular season 14-2, and then coming here and competing the way we did against these teams, it was a great year and I can't wait for next year."
Newton, Highland, Breese and Fairview Heights will all move on to the State Tournament in Quincy, Ill. beginning on Thursday.