SECTIONAL SET: Borries lifts Teutopolis to win over Columbia; date with St. Anthony in sectional title game
May 23—GREENVILLE, Ill. — Much more is on the line this time around.
Bragging rights were had during the regular season. Now, when Teutopolis and St. Anthony meet Saturday it will be for a sectional championship.
The Wooden Shoes defeated Columbia in the second of two sectional semifinals in Bond County Wednesday to advance.
"Tons of respect for Coach Kreke; he's done a fabulous job and St. Anthony is going to be a formidable team," T-Town head coach Justin Fleener said. "They are tough and we have our work cut out for us."
The Columbia lineup had its work cut out for them against Austin Borries in the semifinals.
Borries allowed three hits and two walks to five strikeouts in six innings in the victory. He threw 85 pitches, 49 for strikes.
"Coming into the game, I knew they were the No. 2 team in 2A and they're always a solid hitting team," Borries said. "We had a scouting report on them. They like to crowd the plate and just try to single you to death. My plan coming in was to pound them inside and then go soft away with the curveball, so I think I executed that really well."
Mason Voegele started the game with a walk. Micah James sacrifice bunted him over to second before Cash Bailey popped out to second base and Ben Simmons struck out swinging to retire the side.
Garrett Gaddis started the bottom of the frame by popping out to short. Davin Worman then struck out swinging before Mick Niebrugge drew a walk.
Borries then hit a single and Mitch Koester drew a walk. Evan Waldhoff followed with a bases-loaded free pass for the game's first run.
Borries then retired the side in order in the top of the second. He got Lucas Riebeling and Brody Landgraf to fly out and struck out Logan Bosch.
Riebeling did the same for the opposition. He struck out Zac Niebrugge, got Brett Kreke to line out and Gaddis to ground out.
Sully Bonaldi struck out to start the top of the third. Brady Mathews then flew out to center.
Voegele hit a single and later stole second, but Micah James lined out to Devin Kreke at short to end the inning.
Worman then struck out to start the bottom of the inning before Mick Niebrugge hit a solo shot to left field, making it 2-0.
"I was ready for the fastball and I got the fastball, so I just tried to put my best swing on it," Niebrugge said.
Borries lined out to center and Koester grounded out to end the inning.
Bailey was then hit by a pitch to start the fourth. Simmons then hit a single before Rieblieng struck out.
Landgraf then grounded into a double play after Waldhoff got the sure out at third base and fired the ball to Mick Niebrugge at first to end the inning.
Waldhoff started the bottom of the fourth by reaching first on an error. Devin Kreke then sacrificed him to second, but Zac Niebrugge struck out and Brett Kreke popped out to end the threat.
Borries then retired the side in order in the top of the fifth. He got Bosch to line out, Bonaldi to ground out and Mathews to fly out.
T-Town then went down in order in the bottom of the fifth.
Borries struck out Voegele to start the sixth. James then greeted him with a single before Bailey flew out and Simmons grounded out.
Borries struck out to start the bottom of the frame. Koester then drew a walk, Waldhoff was hit by a pitch and Devin Kreke singled to load the stations.
Jake Bushur then grounded out to the shortstop — who tossed the ball to second for the force — allowing Koester to score and making it 3-0.
Riebeling then drew a walk to start the seventh.
Fleener then elected to go with Gavin Addis to close the game.
Addis received a crucial double play following the walk after fielding the grounder at the mound, turning and throwing to Devin Kreke covering second, who then fired the ball to first to complete the twin killing.
Bosch then hit a double before Bonaldi flew out to end the game.
St. Anthony and T-Town square off Saturday at 11 a.m. The winner advances to Southern Illinois University-Carbondale for the super-sectional round.
