Quest Hull and Andrew Donaldson belted first-inning home runs, helping the Effingham Hearts grab an early lead, en route to an 8-1 victory at Neoga.

The Hearts wasted no time taking control. With one out in the opening inning, Gauge Massey and John Harper received back-to-back walks. Then with two outs, Hull blasted a pitch over the rightfield fence, staking EHS to a 3-0 lead.

But they weren’t finished. An error and then a double by Myles Maxedon put two runners in scoring position. Joe Matteson then had an RBI single, another run scored on a passed ball and Donaldson capped the seven-run frame with a two-run shot that also cleared the rightfield fence.

Camden Raddatz had an RBI single in the second to cap Effingham’s scoring in the game.

Kaiden Nichols went the first 3.1 innings to get the win. He allowed three hits and a run, while walking two and striking out five. Jackson Doedtman and Massey also pitched.

The Hearts improved to 8-6. They will return to action today (Wednesday) with a home game against Casey-Westerfield.

Dakota Weidner and Brady Ingram both belted home runs and combined to drive in nine runs, leading the North Clay Cardinals to a 13-7 win at home Thursday over Effingham.

The game was tied 4-4 after four innings, but the Cardinals exploded for seven runs in the fifth to take control of the game.

The Hearts got a solo home run from John Harper in the first and then took a 4-2 lead in the second. Joe Matteson drove in one run with a double and Evan Waymoth delivered a two-out, two-run single to give EHS the two-run lead.

But North Clay tied the game in the third, then erupted for seven runs in the fifth and capped the scoring with a two-run sixth.

The Hearts didn’t quit. They closed the gap with a three-run sixth. Quest Hull, Max Hardiek and Myles Maxedon all singled to load the bases with no outs. After the next two batters struck out, Kaiden Nichols cleared the bases with a double.

Nichols, one of the six pitchers used by Effingham, took the loss.

The Hearts dipped to 5-6 overall. They will return to action Saturday at home with an Apollo Conference doubleheader against Mattoon. The first game will start at 11 a.m. The Hearts are 1-3 in league play.

Josh McDevitt and Brayden Pals turned in back-to-back shutout performances Saturday, helping the Effingham Hearts post an Apollo Conference doubleheader sweep at home over Mattoon.

McDevitt opened the twin-bill with an 89-pitch, six-inning, two-hit effort, as the Hearts beat the Green Wave 10-0.

It was Pals’ turn in the nightcap, as the senior righthander blanked Mattoon on three hits, while his teammates provided plenty of support in an 8-0 victory.

In the opener, McDevitt allowed only singes in the first and second innings, while walking one and striking out 12. At the plate, Gauge Massey went 3-for-5 and drove in four runs and Joe Matterson added a pair of hits and had a pair of RBI.

Massey had his first two-run single in the second, staking the Hearts to the early lead. They added two more runs in the third and then broke the game open with a four-run fifth.

In that fifth, Myles Maxedon had a one-out single, followed by walks to Matteson and Evan Waymoth to load the bases. Kaiden Nichols then walked to force in a run, Massey delivered another two-run base hit and John Harper capped the inning with sacrifice fly.

Effingham added its final two runs in the sixth to end the game.

In the second game, Pals went seven innings and threw 108 pitches. He allowed just three hits – singles in the first, third and fifth innings – while walking one and striking out 14.

The Hearts took control early, pushing seven runs across the plate in the first inning. Nichols was hit by a pitch, Massey walked and Harper singled to drive in the first run. Camden Raddatz followed with an RBI single and the third run scored on an error.

Quest Hull and Maxedon walked to load the bases and Matterson drove in all three runners with a triple. Nichols capped the inning with an RBI single. Matteson, who drove in four runs in the game, had a run-scoring double in the second.

The Hearts improved to 7-6 overall and 3-3 in the Apollo Conference. They will return to action Tuesday at Neoga.

The Mahomet-Seymour Bulldogs combined strong pitching and timely hitting Saturday to post an Apollo Conference doubleheader sweep at Effingham.

The Bulldogs opened with a 5-3 win in eight innings and then came back to post a 9-0 shutout in the nightcap to complete the sweep.

In the first game, the Bulldogs took advantage of a pair of EHS errors to score the winning tallies in the top of the eighth. A bunt single brought home the go-ahead run, followed by another RBI base hit.

The opener proved to be a back-and-forth affair.

The Hearts took a 1-0 lead in the second against Mahomet-Seymour’s Blake Wolters, who has already committed to Purdue University. With two outs, Myles Maxedon walked and Evan Waymoth was hit by a pitch. Joe Matteson then got a base hit, driving in Maxedon.

Wolters belted a solo home run in the fourth to tie the game. The Bulldogs added two runs in the sixth, but the Hearts added single tallies in the sixth and seventh to tie the game and force extra innings. The Hearts scored in the sixth on an error and then combined three walks and a wild pitch to score in the seventh.

Gauge Massey took the loss for Effingham. He pitched the final two innings. Brayden Pals was the starter and went the first six innings. He gave up three runs on five hits. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out 10.

In the second game, Zach Coursin and two other pitchers combined to throw a four-hit shutout. The Bulldogs scored one run in the opening inning and then added a pair of four-run frames in the fifth and sixth to break the game open.

The Hearts got singles from John Harper, Kaiden Nichols and Camden Raddatz and a double by Matteson.

Josh McDevit took the loss. He worked five innings, allowing six hits and seven runs, while walking one and striking out eight.

The Hearts dipped to 5-5 overall and 1-3 in the Apollo Conference. They will play return to action Thursday at home against North Clay.