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Du Quoin baseball Indians cut down second-seed AJ; fall to Freeburg in sectional championship game

After one of the most exciting baseball postseasons in recent memory the fourth-seeded Indians ended their season Saturday with a 13-0 loss to defending champion Freeburg in the 2A Sectional championship game played in Benton.

"Freeburg had 10-runned every team this postseason, so we knew their bats would be hot," said Du Quoin coach Kyle Geiger. "We played really well for three innings. I threw Jake Rogers at them - my soft-throwing leftie - and he had three really good innings, but by the time they got through the lineup they were adjusting to him. It was 2-0 after three and we had bases loaded in the bottom of the first, but didn't get runs out of it. I know we had first and second at one point and second and third at another with less than two outs, but we couldn't capitalize offensively. It was a tough way to go out."

The Indians playoff run had thrills and chills and ups and downs, but the three consecutive wins got them into the sectional title game for the first time since 2015.

"It was exciting to get the three postseason wins and win a regional, but when you are running into the state champions its tough," Geiger said. "We knew we had to be scrappy and tough and play a perfect game, but they are a real good hitting team and it showed.

Hitting machine and junior first baseman Owen Cornett went into the Freeburg game as one of the hottest batters in the state. The Midgets took notice, hitting him in his first at-bat, trying to pitch around him and walking him in his second. Cornett struck out in his last at-bat to finish with a. 727 batting average (8-of-11) during the regionals and the sectionals.

"The kids were good about it. They were proud about what they had done this postseason. This group four years ago was 6-15 as eighth graders and now they are regional champs and 19-12. We have nothing to hang our heads about."

The playoffs began with a dazzling pitching performance by David Lee to beat fifth seed Benton 2-1 and advance to the regional title game for the first time since 2018.

But that was just the setup to more excitement, with the thrilling come-from-behind 8-6 win over top-seed Nashville to win the Indians' first regional title since 2015 in a game that started on Saturday morning and ended on Monday afternoon.

The Indians led 1-0 Saturday on a solo home run by hitting machine junior first baseman Owen Cornett. When the game resumed Monday afternoon the Hornets scored five runs in the bottom of the first to take over the momentum.

The Indians trailed 6-2 heading into the fifth inning when the Du Quoin version of the old St. Louis Football Cardiac Cardinals went to work, scoring four runs to tie the game on a base hit by Cornett. The Indians won the game in the seventh when Cornett doubled in the game-winner.

<b>Big win over AJ</b>

The Benton Sectionals began with another thrilling victory over second seed Anna-Jonesboro that had more chills than the Du Quoin coaching staff, players and fans wanted or needed.

The Wildcats jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, but that just poked the bear as the Indians tied the game in the bottom of the first on a groundout to short by Lee and a single by Gage Green.

The Indians took a 4-2 lead in the second on two errors with two outs, and then upped their lead to 5-2 in the third on a ground-out to second by Camden Waller.

Du Quoin added a run in the fourth on an RBI single by Caden Hutchens and another run in the fifth on an error with the bases loaded. The Indians upped their lead to 10-2 in the sixth on an RBI single by Green after the first two batters had walked, a run batted in by pinch-hitter Aiden Bradley on a pop out to second that was deep enough for the runner to tag and the third scoring on an error. The Wildcats finished with six errors that led to four unearned runs.

"When you can score every inning it's huge and puts pressure on defense," Geiger said. "We had a great pitching performance and a got a comfortable lead. We put the ball into play and made them make plays and struggle on defense."

However, AJ wasn't finished. They scored six runs in the top of the seventh, only to ultimately fall short.

"It got a little uncomfortable, but until the tying run was on second I never felt the pressure," Geiger said. "But Waller finally got the job done."

Lee pitched five and a third innings, giving up two runs on three hits, five walks and a hit batsman. He finished with six strikeouts. Waller relieved in the seventh with the bases loaded and two outs and got the final out.

Second baseman P.J. Winters makes a play on a ground ball before retiring an Anna-Jonesboro runner at first base. Doug Daniels photo
Du Quoin first baseman Owen Cornett celebrates after an RBI double in Thursday's sectional semifinal against AJ. Doug Daniels photo
Du Quoin shortstop Caden Hutchens fires across the diamond for an out at first base vs. Freeburg. Doug Daniels photo
Lefthander Aiden Bradley was the third pitcher used by the Indians in Saturday's sectional championship against Freeburg. Doug Daniels photo
Du Quoin pitcher Camden Waller checks on a Freeburg baserunner at first during Saturday's sectional championship. Doug Daniels photo
A meeting at the mound as the Indians try to solve Freeburg. Doug Daniels photo