The Mahomet-Seymour Bulldogs combined strong pitching and timely hitting Saturday to post an Apollo Conference doubleheader sweep at Effingham.

The Bulldogs opened with a 5-3 win in eight innings and then came back to post a 9-0 shutout in the nightcap to complete the sweep.

In the first game, the Bulldogs took advantage of a pair of EHS errors to score the winning tallies in the top of the eighth. A bunt single brought home the go-ahead run, followed by another RBI base hit.

The opener proved to be a back-and-forth affair.

The Hearts took a 1-0 lead in the second against Mahomet-Seymour’s Blake Wolters, who has already committed to Purdue University. With two outs, Myles Maxedon walked and Evan Waymoth was hit by a pitch. Joe Matteson then got a base hit, driving in Maxedon.

Wolters belted a solo home run in the fourth to tie the game. The Bulldogs added two runs in the sixth, but the Hearts added single tallies in the sixth and seventh to tie the game and force extra innings. The Hearts scored in the sixth on an error and then combined three walks and a wild pitch to score in the seventh.

Gauge Massey took the loss for Effingham. He pitched the final two innings. Brayden Pals was the starter and went the first six innings. He gave up three runs on five hits. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out 10.

In the second game, Zach Coursin and two other pitchers combined to throw a four-hit shutout. The Bulldogs scored one run in the opening inning and then added a pair of four-run frames in the fifth and sixth to break the game open.

The Hearts got singles from John Harper, Kaiden Nichols and Camden Raddatz and a double by Matteson.

Josh McDevit took the loss. He worked five innings, allowing six hits and seven runs, while walking one and striking out eight.

The Hearts dipped to 5-5 overall and 1-3 in the Apollo Conference. They will play return to action Thursday at home against North Clay.

Josh McDevitt turned in a seven-hit shutout performance Saturday afternoon, leading the Effingham Hearts to a 1-0 victory and a split in the doubleheader against Mt. Zion.

It was the Apollo Conference opener for both teams.

The Braves won a slugfest in the opener, posting a 12-9 win, but the Hearts gained the split on McDevitt’s 98-pitch gem.

The junior righthander scattered seven hits, while walking just one and striking out eight. One of those hits came leading off the seventh inning, but he retired the final three batters on fly balls to nail down the win.

The Hearts scored their lone tally in the opening inning. Quest Hull led off with a base hit and Camden Raddatz walked before John Harper delivered an RBI single for what proved to be the winning run. EHS had only one more hit in the game. That was a single by Harper in the sixth.

In the opener, Mt. Zion scored five runs in the first inning and added another tally in the second to build a quick 6-0 lead.

But the Hearts battled all the way. They scored two runs in the third, one of those driven in by Gauge Massey’s base hit. The Braves then built a 9-2 lead before Effingham scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Gabe Eaton and Massey singled to start the inning, and with one out, Hull walked to load the bases. Raddatz and Harper both drove in runs with singles and Max Hardiek delivered a two-run double. The fifth run scored on a passed ball.

But the Braves kept scoring to take the game, which featured 23 hits, 12 by the Hearts. Harper and Massey both finished with three hits and Hardiek collected three RBI.

Brayden Pals took the loss. He worked the first four innings, allowing six hits and nine runs. He walked three and struck out three.

The Hearts are now 4-2 and 1-1 in the conference. They will play at home today (Monday) against Teutopolis.

Camden Raddatz pitched three shutout innings and John Harper drove in five runs, helping the Effingham Hearts post a 9-6 win at home Thursday over Dieterich.

Raddatz pitched the first three innings. He allowed just two hits, while walking seven and striking out five. He left with a 6-0 lead. Jackson Doedtman, Andrew Donaldson and Harper combined to pitch the final four innings.

The Hearts jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the opening inning. Quest Hull walked and Gauge Massey doubled to get things started. Harper drove home both runners with a ground ball. Evan Waymoth then added an RBI single and the final two runs scored on a passed ball and a balk.

EHS scored a single tally in the second on a run-scoring double by Harper. Then in the sixth, three walks loaded the bases, Harper drove in a pair of runs with a base hit and the final run crossed the plate due to a passed ball.

The Hearts only had four hits, but received seven walks and took advantage of three Dieterich errors.

The Hearts are now 5-3. They will play an Apollo Conference doubleheader at home Saturday against Mahomet-Seymour. The first game is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.

It was all too familiar of a story.

Good pitching, but not enough hitting.

That has been the scenario too often during the second half of the spring season for the Effingham Flaming Hearts baseball team.

And it was certainly the case Thursday afternoon.

Jackson Lee pitched a terrific game, but received no support. Lee gave up only one run, but that came in the bottom of the seventh inning and resulted in a 1-0 victory for Mattoon in an opening round game of the Class 3A Regional C.

It was an old-fashioned pitcher’s duel the entire game. Lee and Mattoon ace Meade Johnson matched each other pitch for pitch.

But in the seventh, Jason Skocy drew a one-out walk for the Green Wave. That brought in Johnson, who ripped the first pitch he saw into the gap and Skocy raced around the bases and scored on the game-winning, walk-off double.

It ended a season that started out very promising. The Hearts combined good pitching with an offense that was scoring nearly nine runs a game and raced out to a 9-0 start. But even though the pitching stayed pretty strong the remainder of the season, the bats went cold.

As a result, EHS went 2-12 from that point and finished the season 11-12. In those 12 losses, the Hearts were shut out five times and scored three or fewer runs in four other games. They scored just 31 runs in those 12 losses and 13 of those came in one game.

Effingham had just two hits and five baserunners against Johnson, who went all seven innings. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out 11 in his 77-pitch performance.

The Hearts best scoring opportunity came in the second. Max Hardiek led off with a base hit and Dylan Cunningham and Joe Matteson both reached on errors to load the bases with no outs. But Johnson struck out the next three batters to end the threat.

Effingham had just two baserunners the final five innings. Preston Latch was hit by a pitch in the fifth and Jack Blickem had a lead-off single in the sixth.

Lee allowed only five hits and the one run. He walked three and struck out five while throwing 89 pitches.

Mattoon will now play for the regional championship. The Green Wave will face either Olney or top-seeded Troy Triad at 4:30 p.m. Monday.