The Cougars got on the board quickly in their first at-bat. A hit batter and a walk got things started. One run scored on a fly ball from Bryce Wieter and another on an RBI double by Alex Athmer. The third rally came across on an error.

“They didn’t really hit Davin hard, plus we had some miscues,” Fleener said. “I always tell the boys to move on when something doesn’t go our way. That’s exactly what they did today.”

And it started in the top of the second inning when the Shoes immediately responded to the early deficit.

Henry Thompson led off with an infield single. With one out, Aidan Niemerg walked and Dawson Hoene followed with a base hit that brought Thompson in. After Worman walked to load the bases, one run scored on a wild pitch and Niebrugg capped the inning with a base hit that drove in a pair, giving the Shoes a 4-3 lead.

Breese Central, who finished 22-11, tied it in the bottom of the second when Conlan Haar delivered a two-out, running scoring single.

The Shoes took the lead for good in the third. Carter Hoene got a base hit. Courtesy runner Nolan Schumacher then went to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a clutch two-out single from Niemerg.

T-Town added a run in the fourth on a passed ball and pushed its final run across the plate in the sixth. With two outs, Niebrugge and Jason Kreke singled, Borries walked and Carter Hoene walked with the bases loaded to force the run home.

“Anytime you can come back in a game is big,” Fleener said. “But to come back so quickly like we did really gave us a confidence boost. We started putting pressure on them.”

The Shoes had hitting up and down their lineup, with seven different players getting at least one hit. In addition to Niebrugge’s four, Kreke and Niemerg both had a pair, while Dawson Hoene, Worman, Carter Hoene and Thompson each had one.

“All good teams can hit the ball. Their hitters – one through nine – will be tough outs,” Fleener noted. “I like to think we’re right there, too.”

After throwing two dozen pitches in the first inning, Worman finished with 80. He allowed just four hits, while walking three and striking out two. Borries allowed a hit and a walk before recording a strike out and ground out to end the game and earn the save.

The Shoes, who improved to 27-5, will now face the St. Anthony Bulldogs for the sectional championship. SAHS beat Columbia in the second semifinal to set up the showdown between the two arch rivals. The first pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at the THS diamond.

These same two teams met for the sectional title last year in Greenville. The Bulldogs scored two runs in the seventh to pull out a 2-1 victory, which was a key win in their run to the Class 2A state championship.

“Our kids have been in pressure situations before,” Fleener said. “Some are basketball players that have been through this several times. It does make a difference and we hope to lean on that. Saturday’s game should be a good one.”