Sam Bushur gave the Teutopolis Wooden Shoes exactly what they needed.

The senior righthander turned in a dominant pitching performance, helping the Shoes post a 3-0 shutout and gain a split in a doubleheader Saturday at Salem.

It followed a very disappointing loss, in which the Wildcats rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh to come away with a 5-4 win.

Bushur threw a 105-pitch complete game in the nightcap, allowing just three hits while walking two and striking out five.

His teammates gave him all the support he would need with two runs in the second inning. With one out, Garrett Gaddis walked and Derek Konkel doubled. Caleb Siemer then delivered the big hit of the game, a two-run double. The Shoes added a single tally in the fifth on a double steal.

Bushur had three of T-Town’s six hits.

In the opener, the Shoes appeared headed for the win. They were up 4-1 and Kayden Althoff had a no-hitter going as Salem came to bat in the bottom of the final inning.

But the Wildcats refused to quit and THS helped them out by committing a pair of errors. A walk, error and base hit loaded the bases with no outs. The next two batters were retired, but a costly error allowed the first two runs to score and then Gavin Zimmerman and Isaak Williams followed with back-to-back RBI singles to give the hosts the walk-off win.

Althoff was the tough-luck loser, finishing with a three-hitter and allowing four unearned runs. He walked three and struck out 12, while throwing 103 total pitched.

The Shoes struck early in the game, pushing four runs across in the opening inning, mainly thanks to the long ball. With one out, Cade Buehnerkemper singled and Mitch Althoff followed with a two-run homer to stake T-Town to the quick lead. Joey Niebrugge then blasted a solo shot, and before the inning was over, the fourth run scored on an RBI single by Dylan Pruemer.

The Shoes are 6-4 on the season. They will return to action today (Monday), making the short trip to Paul Smith Field in Effingham to play St. Anthony.

By Steve Raymond

ET Sports Report

There’s an old saying in sports – “It’s never over ‘til it’s over.”

That was certainly the case Monday afternoon.

The Teutopolis Wooden Shoes were down to their final two outs. An infield single started a rally that saw the Shoes push across four runs without ever getting the ball out of the infield.

A combination of two infield hits, three walks and an error turned a one-run deficit into a 7-4 victory over Effingham at Evergreen Hollow Park.

“It was certainly a back and forth game that we were fortunate enough to win,” said THS coach Justin Fleener. “I thought we were disciplined at the plate, made them throw strikes and put together a late rally. This was a nice win for us against a good Hearts club.”

With one out in the top of the seventh, Cade Buehnerkemper got the winning rally started with an infield single. That was followed by back-to-back walks to Derek Konkel and Brayden Gaddis to load the bases. The tying run scored when Dylan Pruemer’s ground ball was misplayed and the go-ahead run came home on a slow roller down the third base line by Mitch Althoff.

The Shoes tacked on two more tallies when Logan Roepke drew a bases loaded walk, followed by a wild pitch that allowed the fourth run of the inning to cross the plate.

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Jacob Hawkins and Neil Young combined to allow just four hits and Trenton Harrell had three hits and three RBI, helping Flora post a 9-2 victory Friday afternoon at Teutopolis.

The Wolves scored two runs in the second inning to take the lead for good. They added single tallies in the third and fourth and then pushed across five runs in the seventh to take total control. Flora combined a walk and five hits, including a two-out, two-run double by Harrell in that big seventh inning.

The Shoes took a brief 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Sam Bushur led off with the first of his three hits, advanced to third on two ground balls and scored on a wild pitch.

Bushur also played a role in T-Town’s second run. Logan Roepke led off the bottom of the fifth by reaching on an error. He stole second and scored on a two-out single by Bushur to trim the lead to 4-2.

Hawkins pitched the first 5.2 innings to get the win for Flora. He allowed four hits and two runs, while striking out six and walking three. Young pitched the final 1.1 innings and didn’t allow a hit.

Cade Buehnerkemper took the loss. He worked the first four innings, giving up four hits and four runs. He walked two and struck out two. Caleb Siemer, Ben Goeckner and Mitch Althoff pitched the final three innings.

T-Town dropped to 5-3. The Shoes will now hit the road for six straight games. They will play a doubleheader today (Saturday) at Salem and then play St. Anthony Monday at Paul Smith Field in Effingham.

The Teutopolis Wooden Shoes traveled to St. Joseph on Saturday and split a pair of games.

In the opener, the St. Joe-Ogden Spartans banged out 10 hits, en route to a 12-2, five-inning victory.

In the second game, the Shoes bounced back to beat Lisle 7-2.

In the first game, SJO took an 2-0 lead in the opening inning, but the Shoes came back to tie it in the third. Sam Bushur led off with a base hit and scored on a double by Derek Konkel. A ground ball by Dylan Pruemer drove in Konkel with the tying run.

But the Spartans then scored six runs in the bottom of the third and added two tallies in both the fourth and fifth.

Kayden Althoff was the starting pitcher for THS and took the loss. He allowed just one hit, but walked five and allowed six runs in his two innings of work. Ben Goeckner and Cade Buehnerkemper also pitched.

The Shoes used a five-run sixth inning to take control against Lisle. They held a slim 2-1 edge entering the sixth, but then combined five hits and four walks to cross the plate five times. Pruemer, Mitch Althoff and Joey Ruholl each singled to load the bases. One run scored on a fielder’s choice, two came home on a double by Bushur and the final two tallies came home on bases loaded walks.

Bushur pitched the first four innings and got the win. He gave up just one hit and one run. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out three. Caleb Siemer pitched the final three innings.

T-Town is now 4-2 this spring. The Shoes will play today (Monday) at Effingham. Game time is 4:30 p.m.