BASEBALL: St. Bruno-Tamaroa in State Finals after 4-2 win
St. Bruno-Tamaroa will play for the SIJHSAA Class S Baseball State Championship this Friday after pitcher Tyler Rulevish won for the fifth consecutive game and the Falcons knocked off Adams (Creal Springs) 4-2 on Wednesday in Coulterville.
Rulevish had yet another stellar performance on the pitching mound for SB-T, striking out sixteen batters and giving up two runs on two hits and eight walks.
Adams' Tucker Sullivan was Rulevish's counterpart on the hill, and in the early-going kept the Falcons' bats silent. Sullivan struck out eight of the first ten hitters he faced, but got into a jam after a leadoff walk to Bradley Kurtz in the top of the fourth inning.
Rulevish laced a triple to left to bring in Kurtz, then Evan Williams' grounder to short brought Rulevish across for a 2-0 SB-T lead. Isaac Hardin then walked and later scored on a fielder's choice by Daniel Huggins, and the Falcons were in command up three.
Rulevish had to pitch out of trouble on several occasions, stranding Adams runners in every inning but the 1-2-3 second. He left the sacks loaded in the fifth, when he struck out the side.
The Falcons grabbed an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Rulevish took advantage of a wild throw on a stolen base attempt, coming all the way around to score from first base to make it 4-0.
A pair of walks and a triple by Sullivan got the Wildcats on the board in the bottom of the seventh, but then Rulevish struck out Ridge Cozart to end the game and send the Falcons into the championship round.
Rulevish (1-3, 3B, 2 R, RBI) and Luke (1-4) had St. Bruno-Tamaroa's only two hits of the game as Sullivan finished with thirteen strikeouts and six walks.
Lane Lovel (0-1, 2 BB), Kelton Linze (0-1, BB) and Tyler Restoff (0-2, BB) also drew walks.
The Falcons will meet Saints Peter and Paul (Waterloo) this Friday at 3:00 p.m. in the Class S title game at Coulterville Park. SPPS whipped Century 16-0 in their semifinal after beating Dodds 12-2 in the quarterfinals.