By Fred Kroner
Tyler Altenbaumer pitched a complete-game five-hitter on Wednesday (May 25) to send the St. Joseph-Ogden baseball team into the championship game of the Decatur Class 2A regional.
In the semifinals, Altenbaumer struck out 12 and walked one as SJ-O edged Pontiac, 4-3.
He also delivered an RBI-single in the fourth inning that enlarged the Spartans’ lead to 4-1 and proved to be the decisive run.
Hayden Brazelton was 3-for-3. He scored three of the runs. Tanner Jacob tallied the other SJ-O run.
In three postseason games, leadoff hitter Brazelton is 8-for-10.
Other Spartan hits were by Adam Price (two) and Charles Voorhees (one).
The Spartans have won 27 consecutive games and are 35-2 overall. They return to action at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Millikin University against either Eureka or Monticello.
SJ-O is seeking its sixth sectional baseball title in coach Josh Haley’s tenure, and second in a row.
Wednesday’s win enabled the Spartans to tie their single-season victory record. The 2016 team also won 35 games.
