In the opening inning, Mitch Hardiek lined a double into right-centerfield, and then with two outs, Mitch Hemmen grounded a base hit to right, allowing Hardiek to score. In the second, Evan Addis drew a lead-off walk, stole second and scored when Brady McMahon ripped a double down the right-field line, making it 2-0.

Altamont was blanked through the first three innings, although it took two outstanding plays by THS centerfielder Justin Hardiek in the top of the first to keep the Indians off the scoreboard.

After Eirhart and Noah Teasley got one-out base hits, Bradin Baucum launched a fly ball to deep center. Hardiek raced back, and with his back to the infield, made an over-the-shoulder catch for the out. The very next better, Hunter Cripe lined a pitch that appeared headed for the right-centerfield gap. But Hardiek used his speed and then an all-out dive to make the catch and rob Altamont of a pair of runs.

But in the fourth, the Indians were able to break through.

Baucum was hit by a pitch, stole second and went to third on a fly ball. Tyler Robbins then lined a pitch to right that glanced off the glove of Brock Deters for a three-base error that allowed Baucum to score. Mason Robinson then hit a chopper that glanced off pitcher Luke Ungrund’s glove and was bobbled by shortstop Trenton Schwerdt for an infield RBI single that knotted the score.

Those two runs broke a 33-inning scoreless streak Teutopolis pitchers had put together since September 16.

“We had a good stretch of games,” Fleener admitted about the two streaks. “We had some good wins against a couple very good teams.”

Altamont then grabbed the lead in the sixth. Cripe led off with a base hit, and with one out, Robinson looped a double down the right-field line, putting runners at second and third. Logan Cornett then grounded the ball to Schwerdt at short, but his throw home was off target and both runners were able to score.

“We had four errors today and that’s uncharacteristic for us,” Fleener said. “We try to minimize those things. We know they’re going to happen occasionally, but you always hope it doesn’t happen in a tight game. We pride ourselves at being able to work ourselves out of jams like that, but today it didn’t happen.”

After scoring in the opening two innings, the Shoes were blanked the rest of the way on just three hits. Eirhart was very good. He allowed just one walk, struck out seven and kept the T-Town hitters off-balance much of the way.

“We’ve been off-balance for a while now,” Fleener noted. “Eirhart is a good caliber pitcher and he pitched very well. We just haven’t faced that type of pitching enough this fall. And we’ll see another good pitcher tonight (Friday). St. Anthony always has good, quality pitchers, too.”

Ungrund also pitched well in a losing cause. The senior right-hander went 5.2 innings. He allowed six hits and four runs, but only one was earned. He walked one and fanned six.

“Luke pitched a good game,” Fleener noted. “The errors hurt, but the bottom line is we have to put up more than two runs a game. We’ve got to be more efficient at the plate – get people on base, move them around and manufacture runs. It seems like we’re hitting with two strikes a lot. We’re all a bit frustrated right now.”

The second game was all T-Town.

The Shoes erupted for six runs in the first inning, added eight more in the second and rolled to the 13-run, five-inning victory.

In the opening inning, THS combined four hits, four walks and two wild pitches to push six runs across. Kayden Althoff had an RBI double, while Dylan Pruemer, Mitch Althoff and Sam Bushur all drove in runs with base hits.

In the second, the Shoes banged out seven hits, received two walks and had two hit batters. Kayden Althoff drove in two runs with a double, while Bushur and Pruemer both had run-scoring hits.

The Indians scored their single tally in the fourth. Gage Wendling and Logan Cornett had hits in the inning, with Wendling scoring the run on a wild pitch.

Derek Konkel was the winning pitcher. He went 5 innings, allowing four hits and one run. He walked two and struck out four. Jared Hammer took the loss for Altamont.

The Indians are 13-6 on the fall season.

The Shoes, who are now 16-3, will play their final game of the fall season today (Friday) against St. Anthony at Paul Smith Field in Effingham.

“I’ve seen some good things this fall and it’s also exposed some areas we need to work on,” Fleener said. “But that’s what the fall season is supposed to do. It helps us be prepared for the spring.”