By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
The Southeast of Saline baseball team picked up a crucial sweep of the Lyons Lions on Thursday to continue their rapid ascent and put themselves on the brink of winning an NCAA league title.
With wins of 3-1 and 10-0, SES now needs just one win against Beloit in Monday’s season finale to ensure at least a piece of the league crown, while another sweep would see them take the NCAA outright.
Game One: SE of Saline 3, Lyons 1
The Trojans have been good in pitchers' duels this season, and Thursday was no exception, as SES found a run in the second, third, and fourth before riding out their arms and defense to a big game one win.
At the plate, the top of the order would drive in those crucial runs, with Grady Gebhardt and Sam Knopf picking up an RBI each.
The Lions, who handed Sacred Heart their only other loss of the league schedule earlier this season, did manage to plate a run of their own in the fifth, but that was all the damage they would do as the Trojans held on for the win.
On the hill, Cole Gilpin was masterful, allowing just one unearned run on two hits, walking two and striking out five.
Game Two: SE of Saline 10, Lyons 0
While things may have started slow for the Southeast lineup, they did not stay that way, and with the Lion ace off the bump, the Trojans pounced, striking for a run in the second, five in the third, another in the fourth, and three more in the sixth to ice the nightcap.
This time, every bat in the order found its footing, as seven different Trojans recorded a hit, and seven more drove in at least one run.
Once again, Gebhardt and Knopf led the way with three hits apiece, while Evan Watkins and Tiernan Ptacek combined to bring in four runs.
On the bump, Southeast’s excellence continued as Ptacek tossed a complete game shutout, allowing just two hits and striking out four without issuing a single walk.
With this sweep, SES improves to 14-6 and 9-1 in league play while Lyons falls to 13-9 and 7-5 respectively.
Sacred Heart’s league season has already concluded at 10-2, leaving the door cracked for the Trojans, who close out their campaign with Beloit on Monday.