Cam Raddatz went deep in both games and drove in a total of eight runs Saturday, helping the Effingham Hearts sweep an Apollo Conference doubleheader at Taylorville.
Raddatz first struck in the second inning of the opener, connecting on a three-run blast as part of a six-run inning, and the Hearts went on to rout the Tornadoes, 16-4, in six innings
Raddatz got his second round-tripper in the first inning of the nightcap, staking EHS to an early lead, en route to a 7-1 decision and the sweep.
Taylorville committed four errors in the first game, leading to seven unearned runs. The Hearts used two walks and two of those errors to score three first-inning tallies.
EHS then took control with the six-run second. Braden Verdeyen got things started with a base hit, followed by a double off the bat of Jude Traub. Both of those runners eventually scored on an error. Yet another miscue put a pair of runners on base and Raddatz made the hosts pay, depositing a pitch over the centerfield fence.
Colton Webb followed with a solo blast, increasing Effingham’s lead to 9-2. The Hearts added three more in the fifth and four in the sixth. Braxton Lewis hit three hits, while Raddatz, Webb and Traub each had two in the 11-hit attack.
Carter Braddy pitched five innings to get the win. He gave up four runs and four hits, while walking six and striking out eight. Rylan Pals pitched the seventh.
In the first inning of the second game, Kaden Koberlein singled and Raddatz launched a 2-0 pitch over the rightfield fence, putting the Hearts up 2-0. They added single tallies in the second and fifth and wrapped it up with a three-run sixth, capped off by a two-run double by Raddatz.
Raddatz was also the winning pitcher. He went 4.1 innings, allowing five hits and one run. He walked two and struck out six. Pals worked 1.2 innings and Peter Rosen worked another to finish off the sweep.
The Hearts improved to 17-6 overall and 7-3 in the conference. They will play next in the annual City Series, facing St. Anthony on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The games on Wednesday and Friday will be played at Paul Smith Field in Community Park, while Thursday’s contest will be at Evergreen Hollow Park. All three games are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.