The host Shoes got off to a strong start in the opening inning. After starting pitcher Sam Bushur set SAHS down in order in the top of the frame, it didn’t take long for the hosts to get on the scoreboard.

With one out, Mitch Althoff singled, Kayden Althoff was hit by a pitch and Derek Konkel walked to load the bases. Logan Roepke and Dylan Pruemer followed with back-to-back drives that sailed over the leftfielder’s head and bounced over the fence for ground-rule doubles. Both drove in a pair of runs and staked the Shoes to a quick 4-0 lead.

But the first Teutopolis error opened the door for a five-run second by the Bulldogs. Will Hoene followed with the first of his three hits, a double that rolled to the fence in right-centerfield that allowed Brody Niebrugge to score all the way from first base.

Eli Levitt walked and both he and Hoene advanced to second and third on a wild pitch. With one out, Hoene scored on a ground out by Max Koenig. Then with two outs, Brock Jansen walked, Mendella blooped a base hit into center that drove home two and Link capped the inning with a double down the leftfield line that brought home two more.

“When a team has a big inning against you, it’s important you find a way to answer; find a way to claw back into the game,” St. Anthony coach Tony Kreke noted. “That’s what we were able to do. We had hitting up and down the lineup tonight, but those two-out hits by Angelo and Eli were big.”

The Shoes added single tallies in the second on a fly ball by Kayden Althoff and third inning on an RBI single by Cade Buehnerkemper. St. Anthony got a run-scoring double by Levitt in the third. As a result, the game was tied 6-6.

The first turning point came when freshman Brock Fearday relieved Levitt, the Bulldogs starter, in the bottom of the third. He retired the final two batters of that inning and held T-Town scoreless without a hit over the next two frames.

It was the young righthander’s first varsity action, but it didn’t show.

“He didn’t blink,” Kreke said. “When he’s pitched against us in our own scrimmages, he’s been able to get our varsity players out. Some of our players have told me that Brock is ready. I trust them and I trust Brock. He’s young, but he did an excellent job.

“He was able to get ahead in counts with his fastball and he commanded the strike zone,” Kreke added. “When you throw strikes, good things usually happen.”

The second turning point came in the top of the fifth when the Bulldogs combined those four errors with two hits and one walk to score six runs and take the lead for good.

Base hits by Niebrugge and Hoene got the big inning started. Levitt then laid down a bunt just trying to move the runners up a base. The throw to first, however, was wild and the first run scored. After a fielder’s choice loaded the bases, a ground ball off the bat of Koenig resulted in a throwing error, allowing two runners to score.

One out later, a ground ball by Mendella resulted in another throwing error and two more runners crossing the plate. The final run scored with yet another throwing error on an attempted steal allowed the sixth run to scamper home.

“We hit a rough patch in that inning,” Fleener said. “We’re trying some kids in different positions to see what works best, but, obviously, things looked a little raw tonight. But I always tell our kids to not be afraid to fail. We’ll continue working hard and we’ll learn from this.”

The Bulldogs added two-run frames in both the sixth and seventh. Mendella had a two-run single in the sixth, Niebrugge ripped an RBI double in the seventh and the final run scored on a wild pitch.

But the Shoes didn’t quit playing.

Fearday walked two hitters in the sixth and Konkel responded with a two-out double that drove both of the runners home. Roepke then walked and Pruemer had a pop-up fall in the infield to bring home the third run of the frame, but Fearday got the next batter to ground out.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Shoes got consecutive singles by Buehnerkemper and Luke Koester to start the inning and Bushur made it three hits in a row with an RBI single.

Kreke then brought in Colton Fearday in relief. He gave up a double to Kayden Althoff that drove home two runs, but recorded a pair of strike outs and a ground out to end the game.

Brock Fearday got the win and Konkel took the loss.

Mendella finished with a three-hit game for St. Anthony, while Link, Niebrugge and Hoene each had two hits. Bushur, Pruemer and Buehnekemper had two hits for the Shoes, who finished with 11 hits overall.

T-Town dropped to 0-2 on the young season. They will host Neoga today (Thursday).

“We know we’ve got to shore some things up, but I see the capabilities this team has,” Fleener said. “I have a lot of confidence in these guys.”

The Bulldogs improved to 3-0. They will return to action Tuesday with a home game against Neoga.

“This is a fun team to coach,” Kreke said. “I enjoy going to practice every day. We have good senior leadership and we also have some good, young talent. I know we’ll have some growing pains, but I really like this team.”