Indians baseball beats Saxony to move on to title game

St. Vincent baseball got a measure of revenge on Monday.
The third seed Indians won a good, old-fashioned pitchers duel over second seed Saxony Lutheran 3-1 on Monday in the Class 2, District 3 tournament semifinal. The victory sends St. Vincent to a district championship for the second straight year.
The win for the Indians avenged a 7-4 loss at the hands of the Crusaders earlier this month.
“We had a couple stolen bases and some bunts that worked out,” St. Vincent baseball coach Corey Sauer said. “It’s the typical St. Vincent baseball game that’s been played over the last few weeks.”
The Indians needed that small ball approach as they did not have much success at the plate. Neither team did for that matter as the Crusaders and Indians combined for five hits in the game.
Both teams had their best pitcher on the mound as St. Vincent senior Blake Monier went the full seven innings, gave up three hits, one run, with five walks and four strikeouts.
“He struggled with the lead-off hitter with a couple walks,” Sauer said. “We pitched his way out of jams and our defense stepped up with some double plays. He did the typical Blake Monier thing and when he’s on the mound he gives you a chance to win.”

Saxony senior Drew Hahs was just as impressive as he pitched the full seven with two hits, three earned runs with five walks and nine strikeouts.
“We had chances to score in every inning, but we struck out looking way too much,” Sauer said. “When we needed it, we executed, whether it was a sacrifice fly or moving the runner over.”
The game went into the fifth inning at 0-0, but the Indians finally broke through.
Kaden Kassel drew a one-out walk and advanced to third on a wild pitch and stolen base. Trevor Moonier grove in the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly.
St. Vincent added insurance runs after Christian Schaaf and Liam Krauss walked to start the inning and Monier singled to load the bases.
Jake Seabuagh grounded out to the shortstop to score a run and Jacob Hennemann added a run on a sac bunt to go up 3-0 in the sixth inning.
Saxony got on the board after loading the bases and Hahs hit a sacrifice fly to narrow the St. Vincent lead to 3-1. Owen Tarry lined into a double play to Schaaf at third to end the threat.
St. Vincent played Chaffee for the championship on Wednesday after rain postponed the game one day.