Spartans Fall to Maroa-Forsyth in IHSA Class 2A Sectional Semifinal, Ending Stellar Season

By Fred Kroner

Luke Landrus socked two hits, but the St. Joseph-Ogden baseball team took a 7-3 loss to Maroa-Forsyth on Wednesday (May 22) in a semifinal game of the IHSA Class 2A sectional at Millikin University, in Decatur.

Landrus, Braxton Waller and Kodey McKinney delivered one RBI apiece for the Spartans. Tanner Jacob, Jared Altenbaumer and Garrett Denhart tallied the team’s runs.

Spartans with hits besides Landrus were Logan Rosenthal, Altenbaumer, Bryson Houchens, Will Haley and McKinney.

Houchen pitched the first 4 1/3 innings. He walked one and fanned two hitters.

Parker Fitch came in for 1 1/3 innings. He issued two walks and struck out three. Altenbaumer needed two pitches to get the last out.

Maroa-Forsyth carried a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning when the Trojans erupted for four runs.

SJ-O ends the season with a 32-5 record.

The Spartans’ seniors are Jacob, Denhart, Landrus, Waller and Caleb Ochs.

Seven SJ-O players compiled season batting averages over .300.

The team leaders were Waller (.478), Landrus (.462),  Altenbaumer (.360), McKinney (.352), Houchens (.351), Rosenthal (.347) and Earley (.342).

Waller set a school season record with 67 RBI. Landrus knocked in 52 runs and also surpassed the previous SJ-O season record.

Landrus (56), Jacob (50) and McKinney (39) were the leaders in runs scored.

Landrus and Waller each ended the year with 54 hits.

Landrus had a team-best 24 extra-base hits and also led in stolen bases (22). Waller poked 22 extra-base hits, including a team-leading seven home runs.

Jacob and McKinney each stole 20 bases.

Waller finished the year with 18 games of two, or more, hits. Landrus produced 16 multi-hit games.

Eight pitchers earned wins this spring. They were: Landrus (8-1), Houchens (6-1), Earley (5-0), Asher Pruemer (5-3), Trevor Ames (4-0), Altenbaumer (2-0), Fitch (1-0) and Kendrick Johnson (1-0).

Earley led SJ-O in innings pitched (53) and strikeouts (63). Landrus recorded 60 strikeouts and Houchens fanned 42 hitters.

The best earned run averages, for pitchers who worked at least 20 innings, were Ames (0.95), Altenbaumer (1.53), Houchens (1.63), Landrus (1.69), Pruemer (1.91) and Earley (2.11).

Altenbaumer led the Spartans in pitching appearances (13), followed by Earley (11 games) and Houchens (10 games).