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.

Pitching dominated Tuesday’s Apollo Conference doubleheader in Charleston.

The Effingham Hearts allowed just one hit in both games, but only managed a split in the twin-bill.

Charleston’s Luke Bonstetter and Aidan Archibald combined to keep the Hearts off the scoreboard in the opener, finishing with a 1-0 victory.

In the nightcap, Effingham’s Kaiden Nichols came within two outs of a complete game shutout. But his teammates provided plenty of support, as EHS gained the split with a 7-0 win.

In the first game, the host Trojans scored what proved to be the winning run in the bottom of the fifth. Bonnstetter reached on an error, went to second on a balk and scored when Corbin Parker got his team’s only hit of the contest, an RBI single.

The Hearts had four hits and left five runners stranded in the first three innings. But over the final four innings, only one runner was left on.

Colton Webb was the tough-luck loser. He allowed just the one hit and one unearned run in his six innings of work. The lefty walked two and struck out six.

Nichols was in total control in the second game. He allowed only one hit, a two-out single in the third, while walking two and striking out nine in his 107-pitch performance. Jude Traub came in and recorded the final two outs.

The Hearts scored all the runs they needed in the first inning. Two walks and a single by Webb loaded the bases with one out. Spencer Fox forced in a run with a walk, another scored on a wild pitch and Braxton Lewis and Carter Braddy capped the four-run frame with RBI singles.

Effingham added a single tally in the second and two more in the fourth to wrap up the scoring.

The Hearts are now 13-7 overall and 5-3 in the conference. They will return home Friday to play Flora and will then travel to Taylorville on Saturday for another Apollo Conference doubleheader.

Braxton Lewis and Cam Raddatz both belted three-run homers and Kaden Koberlein allowed only one hit, leading the Effingham Hearts to an 8-0 win at home Friday afternoon over Flora.

Koberlein came within an out of recording a complete game. He allowed just a fourth-inning single, while walking two and striking out three in 6.2 innings of work. Rylan Pals came in and got the final out.

The Hearts scored all the runs they would need in the first. Koberlein walked and Colton Webb singled. With two outs, Spencer Fox delivered a run-scoring base hit and Lewis followed with a three-run blast over the leftfield fence to stake EHS to a 4-0 lead.

Effingham used the long ball to increase that lead in the fourth. This time, it was Raddatz’s turn. With two outs, Kaiden Nichols and Koberlein singled and Raddatz then deposited a pitch over the leftfield fence to make it 7-0.

The Hearts are now 15-6. They will play at Taylorville today (Saturday) in an Apollo Conference doubleheader.

Callaway Smith and Trevan Sidwell combined to allow just one run, helping South Central post a 2-1 victory Wednesday afternoon at Effingham.

Smith went the first five innings to get the win. He gave up seven hits and one unearned run, while walking two and striking out four. Sidwell then pitched two scoreless innings to earn the save. He gave up only one hit and struck out three.

The host Hearts went on top in the opening inning. They actually had four hits during that at-bat, but scored just one run, that coming on an RBI single by Cam Raddatz. Effingham managed only four more hits the rest of the way and was unable to push another run across the plate. They ended up stranding nine baserunners.

South Central scored single tallies in the second and third innings.

The Hearts used four pitchers in the game. Kaiden Nichols was the starter and went two innings. Raddatz pitched the next two innings and got the loss. Kaden Koeberlein and Colton Webb finished up.

EHS, now 12-6, will play an Apollo Conference doubleheader Saturday at Charleston.