NOTE: Edited to add semi-state location and game times.
THE REPORTER
Steady scoring won the race for the Hamilton Southeastern baseball team – and a regional championship.
The Royals claimed their first regional title since 2019 last Saturday, beating Harrison 4-0 at Lafayette Jefferson. Southeastern scored one run in four different innings, while pitcher Ty Bradle delivered an outstanding performance on the mound, allowing just one hit.
Southeastern got on the board in the second inning, when Harrison Dilts sent a single into right field to score Nolan Colbert. In the third inning, Bradle cracked a double into left field, bringing in Christian Wilke and putting the Royals up 2-0.
Griffen Haas stepped up in the fifth inning and blasted a solo home run into right field for Southeastern’s third run. In the sixth inning, Kam Seitz finished things off with a right field hit to score Dilts, who hit a right field single to compete a 3-for-3 night at the plate. Dilts also hit a double in the fourth inning to go with his two singles.
Meanwhile, Bradle was only two batters shy of a perfect game. The Raiders’ only hit came at their very first at-bat, when Sammy Hallada led off the first inning with a double. After that, Bradle threw two strikeouts, and got a groundout for the third out. Harrison reached first base again in the third inning on a third-strike wild pitch with one out.
But two flyouts ended that scoring threat, and Bradle would not permit another baserunner again. He totaled 10 strikeouts and no walks, striking out the side in the sixth inning.
Southeastern is now 19-14 for the season and will travel to La Porte this Saturday to play in the Class 4A north semi-state. The Royals will play Homestead in the first semifinal, with first pitch at 11:30 a.m. ET (10:30 a.m. CT). Penn will play Lake Central in the second semifinal at 2 p.m. ET, with the championship scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.