2024 State Tournament
1A Semi-Finals
Following along with much of the playoffs this year, the 2024 State Tournament started with a rain delay. But at least we get to watch baseball today. This will go down as the coolest game I have covered at Dell Diamond. Game time temperature is in the low 70s with some cloud cover. Abbott and Fayetteville are no strangers. Abbott defeated Fayetteville 6-5 last year in the State Championship game.
Fayetteville Pitcher Jack Schley recorded 3 quick outs in the top of the first from a popout, a strikeout and a weak ground out. Fayetteville would get a runner to third in the bottom of the frame but couldn’t score. Abbott tried to have a two out rally after Paston Pustejovsky doubled with two outs and Micah Hejl walked. They tried a double steal. Fayetteville wasn’t fooled and threw out Pustejovsky at the plate.
Abbott gets into trouble with no outs in the bottom of the 2nd. A walk, an error and a hit by pitch loads the bases. A blooper over first by Kole Schmitt scores the first run of the game. A hit by pitch, a single, another hit by pitch followed by a single by Keagan Supak would force a pitching change. Mason Hejl took the mound with no outs down 3-0 and the bases loaded. The inning didn’t improve much. The Lions would score 8 runs off just 3 hits. The big hit was a double by Lawson Fritsch that drove in 3 runs.
In the top of the 3rd, Jack Schley would strike out the first two batters before a walk, a hit and two errors put two Panthers across the plate and runners on first and second. Hogan Warren hit a double to plate Connor Sullins. That would be all the offense that the Panthers could muster. At the end of the third, it was 8-3 Fayetteville. The Lions picked up where they left off. Kole Schmitt singled to start the inning. That was his second hit of the game. He moved to second on a wild pitch. Fenhaus walked. Both advanced on another wild pitch. With one out, a double in the gap by Schley scores 2. A walk of Konvicka forces another Abbott pitching change. Riley Sustala came in to pitch with 1 out and the bases loaded. A walk and two wild pitches added two to the Lion lead. He is unable to record an out before Connor Sullins took the mound. The Lions kept crossing the plate. At the end of the third, it was 18-3.
Kole Schmitt took the mound for the Lions in the 4th. The inning wasn’t pretty, but the damage was limited. Schmitt gave up 3 hits and allowed 3 runs to score. Two Panthers were left on base. The Lion leadoff runner got on again in the bottom of the fourth inning. Once again, the leadoff runner scored. At the end of the 4th, it was 19-3 Fayetteville. Abbott was able to get two runners on in the top of the 5th but no one passed second. Fayetteville wins and will play the winner of Ira and Chester.
WP – Schley
LP – Stalker
Player of the Game: Kole Schmitt
| Score by Innings | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| Abbott | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 1 | ||
| Fayetteville | 0 | 8 | 10 | 1 | X | 19 | 7 | 4 |
