TROY – Gabe Deaver scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning on an error by the second baseman to give Triad a dramatic 2-1 win over Mascoutah in the final of the IHSA Class 3A sectional Saturday afternoon at the Triad ballpark.
The win makes Triad 33-6, and advances the Knights to the Milliken University super-sectional in Decatur on Monday against either Champaign Central or Mahomet-Seymour, whomever wins the Lincoln sectional.
Triad went ahead in the opening inning, courtesy of a Hayden Bernreuter home run over the right field to give the Knights a 1-0 lead. Mascoutah tied the game in the fourth, when Darren Klein doubled with one out, Carson Moll drew a walk, with both advancing on a passed ball. with Klein scoring on a wild pitch to tie the game 1-1, and Moll going to third, where he was picked off to end the inning.
Both of the starting pitchers — Bermreuter for the Knights, and Austin Musso for the Indians — settled in and pitched well, with Sawyer Brunson relieving Bernreuter in the fifth after walking Nolan Lebert.
Mascoutah threatened in the seventh, with a two-out single by Cameron Eddy and an intentional walk to Musso, but a fly out to left ended the inning. The Indians threatened again in the eighth, when Tom Harrison reached second on an error to lead off the frame, and Klein drew a walk, putting runners on the corners. Triad pulled off a triple play, Moll grounding out to second, pinch runner Garrison Kramer being thrown out at the plate, and Klein being thrown out a third to complete the triple play.
The Indians loaded the bases with two out in the ninth, with Lebert singling, and Eddy and Musso drawing walks. Pearce Goodfield came in to pitch, and Josh Armann was called out on strikes to end the inning.
Deaver led off the Triad ninth with a walk, and two out later, went to second on an error by the shortstop, scoring on an error by the second baseman on a ball hit by Keegan Seipp, giving the Knights the 2-1 win and putting them into the super-sectional.
Bernreuter had two hits for the Knights and a RBI on the home run, while Carter Gaskill had the other hit. Bernreuter went for 4.1 innings, allowing an unearned run on one hit, walking six and striking out eight, while Brunson went for 4.1 innings, allowing a hit while walking four and fanning four, Goodfield was credited with the win, going 0.1 innings, and striking out one, while Winslow also went 0.1 innings, getting a strikeout.
Eddy had two hits for the Indians, while Lebert and Klein both had a hit apiece. Musso pitched eight innings, allowing an earned run on three hits, striking out 11, while Parker Henry was charged with the loss, going 0.2 innings, giving up an unearned run without a hit, walking one.
The Knights go to 33-6, and play in the Milliken super-sectional Monday night at 6:30 p.m., with the winner going on to the Class 3A state finals next weekend, June 13-14, at Slammers Stadium in Joliet, The Indians wind up the season 25-9.
