The Mascoutah Indians showed how strong pitching and “small ball” can be successful.

Zane Timon turned in a six-hit, 92-pitch, complete game effort Wednesday afternoon and the Indians used a pair of bunts and four stolen bases to take control, en route to a 10-1 win over Effingham in a semifinal game of the Class 3A Troy (Triad) Sectional.

The game was scoreless through the first three innings. But in the fourth, Mascoutah got two walks and a bloop single by Wyatt Beer to load the bases with one out. Back-to-back squeeze bunts by Timon and Aidan Marti put the Indians on top 2-0.

Brendan Brock’s ground ball was then misplayed, allowing two more runs to cross the plate. Brock stole second and third and scored on a double steal to cap the five-run inning.

The Hearts tried to get back in the game in the bottom of the frame. Kaiden Nichols drew a lead-off walk and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Spencer Fox. John Harper then grounded a base hit up the middle and Nichols raced home to get EHS on the board.

When Timon threw wildly to first on an attempted pick-off, Harper made it all the way to third base. But the next two hitters were retired, preventing the Hearts from getting even closer.

Mascoutah got an RBI single from Beer in the fifth and then broke it open with a three-run sixth. Beer and Lance Funk had run-scoring singles and the third run scored on a throwing error.

The Hearts had runners in scoring position in the fifth and seventh. Myles Maxedon had a two-out triple in the fifth, but was stranded. EHS then loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, but a double play ended the game.

Timon scattered six hits, while walking two and striking out four. The Indians played errorless baseball behind him.

Josh McDevitt pitched the first four innings for Effingham and took the loss. He allowed just two hits and five runs, but three of those were unearned. He walked four and struck out three. Quest Hull and Nichols combined to pitch the final three innings.

The Indians, winners of 12 straight games, improved to 29-6. They will face Troy (Triad) for the sectional championship at 11 a.m. Saturday morning.

The Hearts closed out their season with a 17-13 record.