Brody Hatton and Beau Adams went deep Wednesday, helping the St. Anthony Bulldogs open postseason play in successful fashion, posting a 6-1 victory over Marshall in a semifinal game of the Marshall Class 2A Regional.

Hatton helped the Bulldogs jump on top early. After walks to Aiden Lauritzen and Connor Roepke, Hatton launched a 3-2 pitch over the leftfield fence to stake SAHS to a 3-0 lead in the opening inning.

Marshall scored its lone run in the second and St. Anthony then added three more tallies in the third.

Adams led off with a home run. Lauritzen then singled and Brock Fearday walked. Roepke followed with an RBI single and Will Fearday brought home the final run with a ground out.

Lauritzen turned in a strong six-inning performance to get the win. He allowed seven hits and one run. He walked two and struck out 12, while throwing 111 pitches. Brock Fearday pitched the seventh.

The Bulldogs improved to 21-5 on the season. They will now face either Newton or Lawrenceville for the regional championship. That game is set for 11 a.m. Saturday.

By Steve Raymond

ET Sports Report

According to both coaches, winning the City Series is not among their season goals.

But based on the size of the crowd Thursday night and the enthusiasm of the players, it’s a pretty big deal to just about everybody else.

“Oh, the guys know it’s on the schedule and it’s something they want to win,” St. Anthony coach Tony Kreke noted. “But it’s not a goal.”

Effingham’s Curran McNeely’s response was virtually the same.

But it certainly provides bragging rights.

And for the second straight year – and third time in four seasons – those bragging rights, along with the traveling plaque, will remain at St. Anthony High School.

The Bulldogs got a no-hit gem pitched by Aiden Lauritzen in the first game and then used their explosive bats for an eight-run inning in the nightcap.

As a result, St. Anthony came away with a pair of wins – 3-0 and 9-3 – to sweep the doubleheader and clinch the championship in this best-of-three series.

The third game will be played tonight (Friday). It will begin at 7 p.m. at Evergreen Hollow Park.

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The St. Anthony Bulldogs were named the No. 1 seed in the Marshall Class 2A Regional, which will open play on Monday, May 13.

There are six teams in that regional, including Marshall, Paris, Oblong, Lawrenceville and Newton.

The winner of the Marshall Regional will advance to the Greenville Sectional, which is scheduled for May 22-25. Winners of the regionals at Carlyle, Columbia and Teutopolis will also advance to Greenville.

Here is the schedule for the Marshall Regional:

Monday, May 13

Game 1 – 4:30 p.m. – Marshall (#8) at Paris (#7)

Game 2 – 4:30 p.m. – Oblong (#11) at Lawrenceville (#5)

Wednesday, May 15

Game 3 – 5 p.m. -- St. Anthony (#1) vs. Winner Game 1

Thursday, May 16

Game 4 – 5 p.m. – Newton (#4) vs. St. Winner Game 2

Saturday, May 18

Game 5 – 11 a.m. – Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 (championship)

Dale Wolf delivered a two-out RBI single in the top of the seventh inning Saturday, helping the Newton Eagles post a 2-1 win at St. Anthony.

It was the third loss in three days for the Bulldogs.

It was a pitcher’s dual throughout. But in the top of the seventh, the Eagles got a single and a walk to start the inning and set up Wolf’s game-winning hit.

Newton’s Carson Barthelme limited St. Anthony to just two hits through his 6.1 innings of work. Wolf then relieved in the seventh and recorded the final two outs to secure the win and earn the save.

Wolf also knocked in the Eagles’ first run on an RBI single in the first. The Bulldogs tied it in the third. Brock Fearday got a two-out double and scored when Brady Hatton’s ground ball was misplayed for an error.

Sam Link took the loss. He relieved in the sixth and gave up three hits and a run. Nick Ruholl was the starter and pitched five strong innings. He gave up six hits and one run, while walking one and striking out two.

The Bulldogs are now 18-4. They will play at home again Monday, facing Mt. Vernon.