Alton survives Quincy upset bid; Nashville reaches sectional final

Trailing 3-0 headed to the bottom of the seventh inning Thursday, the Alton Redbirds managed to push across four runs and survived a spirited upset bid by the Quincy Blue Devils with a 4-3 victory in the semifinals of the Class 4A Edwardsville Regional.

Quincy scored twice in the second and added another run in the fourth and had the Redbirds in a 3-0 hole. Alton reliever Jacob St. Peters managed to quiet a bases-loaded Quincy rally in the fifth, keeping things close until the Redbirds were able to rally,.

Aaron Bonnell homered for Alton in the seventh and Jacob Skrabacz had a two-run single that won the game for the Redbirds. Alton’s Derrick Allen was 2-for-3 and Bonnell was 2-for-3 with the solo homer, with Drake Hampton adding a double.

Alton (30-6) will face Southwestern Conference rival Edwardsville (33-1) in the regional championship game at 11 a.m. Saturday at Edwardsville’s Tom Pile Field. Alton’s expected starter is University of Missouri recruit and potential major league draft pick Bryan Hudson.

St. Peters got the win in relief, allowing three hits during four scoreless innings with three strikeouts.

Class 2A Nashville Sectional

Nashville 7, Carmi-White County 0

Trace Musielak popped a three-run homer in the third innings and sophomore Austin Anderson (8-1) tossed a complete-game three-hit shutout as the Nashville Hornets (29-6-1) reached the championship game of their own sectional. Brady Bultman added three hits and Hayden Heggemeier added two for the Hornets, who will face River-to-River Conference rival Du Quoin for the sectional title at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Anderson walked three and struck out six.

Nashville beat Du Quoin twice this season, but the Indians have heated up down the stretch with 12 straight wins. Nashville has a 22-game unbeaten streak.

This story was originally published May 28, 2015 at 9:05 PM with the headline "Alton survives Quincy upset bid; Nashville reaches sectional final."