The Hearts, who mounted virtually zero offense in the three games, did receive three walks over their final two at-bats, but were unable to mount a comeback of their own.

Effingham had been shut out the first two games. St. Anthony’s Logan Antrim threw a four-hitter in the opener and Fearday then followed that up with a five-inning no-hitter on Thursday night.

So when the Hearts scored in the third, it broke a scoreless string of 14 innings against the Bulldogs.

With one out, both Kalen Reardon and Matthew Loy reached on errors. They both stole a base to get themselves into scoring position and Joe Matteson then lined an 0-2 pitch for a base hit that brought both Reardon and Loy across the plate and gave EHS the early 2-0 lead.

It was the Hearts’ first hit since the fifth inning Wednesday night, and as it turned out, their only hit Friday night. They had four base runners over the final four innings – all reached base via a walk.

St. Anthony got its first run in the fifth. Angelo Mendella reached on an error and Eli Levitt’s fly ball dropped between two outfielders for a base hit. Eli Link attempted to lay down a sacrifice bunt, but an errant throw allowed Mendella to score.

The Hearts avoided further damage when Link was thrown out trying to advance to second on the play and then Levitt was gunned down when he tried to score.

For the third straight night, it was St. Anthony left-hander that kept the Effingham bats quiet. Seth Hotze went six strong innings, allowing just the one hit and one unearned run. He walked five and struck out eight, while throwing 106 pitches. Levitt pitched the final inning to secure the win.

Jack Blickem took the loss for the Hearts. He went five innings and allowed five runs on nine hits. He walked one. Gauge Massey pitched the final two innings.

After the three-game sweep and the championship of the City Series – a great event between the two cross-town rivals that began in 1981 – the Bulldogs have an impressive 14-1 record.

They will have a busy week ahead, playing four games over a five-day span. They will be at Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City on Monday; at home to play Flora on Tuesday and Teutopolis on Thursday; and then travel to Shelbyville on Friday.

The Hearts dropped to 10-4 on the season and will be right back in action today (Saturday). They will take their unblemished 3-0 Apollo Conference record to Mattoon.