BASEBALL: Rulevish outdeuls Buza, St. Bruno-Tamaroa advances

STEELEVILLE, IL - St. Bruno-Tamaroa's Tyler Rulevish and Pinckneyville District #204's Grayson Buza dueled for seven innings in Thursday's Steeleville Regional semifinal, but it was Rulevish's Falcons that got the game's only run on an RBI by Isaac Hardin in the top of the fourth inning to advance.

Rulevish and Buza combined for 29 strikeouts on the mound against just 5 total hits by the two offenses.

Buza pitched around an error in the top of the first and didn't allow a hit until the fourth. Meanwhile, Rulevish gave up a leadoff single to #204 shortstop Kyle Kreger in the bottom of the first followed by a sacrifice bunt by Buza, then proceeded to fan the next ten batters that came to the plate.

In the top of the fourth, Bradley Kurtz led off and reached on an infield single, then Evan Williams drove a one-out base hit to right field to put men at first and second. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, then Hardin grounded to third baseman Rusty Wynn. Wynn thought about coming home, and the hesitation cost him an out at first base as Kurtz raced across the plate to give SB-T a 1-0 lead. Buza gathered himself and got the next two Falcons to quickly stop the bleeding.

The problem for the Tigers was that one run was all Rulevish would need.

The right-hander got a little help from Evan Williams in the bottom of the fifth when the shortstop snagged an infield line drive by Luke Zelasko and doubled Corey Dahn (who had singled) off of first base to end the inning.

Rulevish allowed just one hit after that, a two-out single by Dustin Engelhardt in the seventh that he rendered meaningless with his sixteenth strikeout of the day without a single walk.

Buza surrendered one run on two hits and five walks, striking out thirteen Falcons. He didn't allow a hit in any inning except the fourth, when SB-T picked up their run.

St. Bruno-Tamaroa will play Saturday in the Regional championship at Steeleville.