Jacob Kinsman’s two-run homer highlighted a six-run third inning that carried Benton to an 11-3 win at home Tuesday over Teutopolis.

The host Rangers combined six hits in that six-run third that erased an early 2-1 deficit.

The Shoes scored single tallies in the second, third and sixth, using the long ball for two of those runs.

After Benton scored a run in the first inning, T-Town came back to take the lead. In the second inning, Dylan Pruemer singled, courtesy runner Max Niebrugge stole second and Caleb Siemer delivered a two-out RBI single.

Sam Bushur put the Shoes on top, leading off the top of the third with a blast over the centerfield fence. Derek Konkel added a solo shot in the sixth.

Pruemer took the loss for THS. He started and pitched the first three innings, allowing nine hits and seven runs. He walked one and struck out two.

The Shoes are now 19-10 on the season. They will be back in action Thursday at Olney.

The Teutopolis Wooden Shoes baseball team appears to be peaking.

But that shouldn’t be a big surprise. It seems to happen every year as the postseason approaches.

The Shoes posted three good wins over three very good baseball teams this weekend to capture the Tiger Classic in Edwardsville.

THS opened with a 4-2 win Friday night over the tournament hosts and then followed up with a 1-0 win over Glenwood-Chatham Saturday morning in the semifinals and a walk-off 4-3 victory over Highland later that afternoon in the championship game.

The Shoes didn’t get a lot of offense – 9 runs and 10 total hits in the three games – but their pitching was outstanding. Sam Bushur and Kayden Althoff both turned in complete games and Derek Konkel came within two outs of doing the same thing.

And they claimed the tourney title in exciting fashion, using Cade Buehnerkemper’s walk-off sacrifice fly to beat Highland.

That game was tied 2-2 as the Shoes came to bat in the bottom of the sixth. Bushur walked, Buehnerkemper singled and Mitch Althoff was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Dylan Pruemer then lifted a sacrifice fly to drive in the go-ahead run.

After the Bulldogs tied the game in the top of the seventh, the Shoes loaded the bases again in the bottom of the frame. Caleb Siemer walked, Konkel singled and Luke Koester received an intentional pass. Buehnerkemper then hit a fly ball to centerfield and courtesy runner Jonathan Kemme streaked home with the winning run, clinching the victory and the championship.

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There were runners all over the basepaths Monday in Altamont.

Combined, the Teutopolis Wooden Shoes and host Indians left 23 runners stranded. The Shoes had one fewer and that proved to be the difference.

T-Town scored four runs in the second inning and that proved to be enough, as the Shoes hung on for a 4-3 win at Altamont in the first game of a doubleheader.

The Indians came back to post a 5-3 win in the nightcap.

There were 19 hits in that first game and also eight errors that resulted in four of the seven total runs scored being unearned.

And the Indians left 12 runners on, including eight in the final three innings. They stranded the bases loaded in both the fifth and sixth innings and then had their first two batters reach base in the bottom of the seventh, before their final three hitters were retired.

After Altamont took a 1-0 lead in the first, the Shoes came back with a four-run second. Derek Konkel, Max Niebrugge and Caleb Bloemer all singled to start the inning and load the bases. After the next two batters were retired on short fly balls, a wild pitch let in the first run, an error allowed two more runs to score and Dylan Pruemer capped the inning with an RBI double.

The Indians got run-scoring hits from Jared Hammer in the third and Kienon Eirhart in the fifth to close the gap to just one run. Altamont had a good chance to tie the game or even take the lead, but the left three runners on in fifth and again in the sixth.

Cade Buehnerkemper went the first four innings to get the win. He allowed five hits and two runs, while walking two. Caleb Siemer pitched the final three frames to earn the save.

It was the Indians turn to hold on in the nightcap. They scored five runs over the first four innings before T-Town rallied in the sixth.

With two outs, Tyler Schwerdt singled and Luke Koester walked. Ben Goeckner then delivered an RBI single to get THS on the board. The final two runs scored on a wild pitch and an error.

Garrett Gaddis took the loss. He went three innings, allowing just one hit and three unearned runs. In fact, due to three T-Town errors, all five of Altamont’s runs were unearned.

Mason Robinson had a two-run single for the Indians in the third and Tyler Robbins added a two-run base hit in the fourth. The Indians are 13-13.

The Shoes are now 19-9 on the season. They will be back in action today (Tuesday) at Benton.

What a game for Collyn Ballard.

He belted a grand slam and then a three-run shot to drive in seven runs and lead the North Clay Cardinals to a 10-2 win at home Tuesday over Teutopolis.

North Clay got two hits and a walk to load the bases with two outs in the bottom of the second. Ballard then sent a 3-2 pitch sailing over the leftfield fence to stake the hosts to a 4-0 lead.

The Cardinals led 5-1 when they came to bat in the fifth. After two singles to start the inning, Ballard struck again, blasting the first pitch he saw over the centerfield fence for a three-run homer. Later in the inning, Bryton Griffy added a two-run blast.

Both of the THS runs came via the long ball as well. Sam Bushur went deep in the third and Derek Konkel added a solo shot in the seventh.

Cade Buehnerkemper started for the Shoes. He was touched for three hits and four runs in 1.2 innings of work. Ben Goeckner, Peyton Tegeler, Caleb Siemer and Garrett Gaddis also pitched.

Donnie Zimmerman turned in a complete game for the Cardinals, who improved to 23-3. Zimmerman allowed four hits and two runs, while walking two and striking out seven. He is now 7-0 this spring.

The Shoes dropped to 15-8 on the season. They will play Friday and Saturday at the Tiger Classic in Edwardsville.