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They may be sophomores, but Lyle-Pacelli’s Hunter VaDeer and Logyn Brooks are officially big time players for the Athletics.

VaDeer struck out eight in a pitching win and Brooks delivered the biggest hit of the game as the top-seeded Athletics edged out No. 4 United South Central (15-4 overall) 5-3 in a Section 1A quarterfinal in Riverland Monday.

The game was tied at 1-1 when Brooks smacked a clutch, two-out, two RBI double to left field to give his team the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth inning. Brooks also threw a runner out at second base to thwart a USC opportunity in the top of the fourth.

“Our team has been getting used to this environment as the years have gone by. Most of our team has been the same for the past couple of years and we’ve been coming ready to play,” Brooks said. “It felt amazing to know that I could step up today and do what has to be done.”

VaDeer didn’t allow a hit in five innings for L-P (20-1 overall), but he scattered six walks and allowed two runs, while striking out eight. 

“We just take the game hit by hit and out by out,” VaDeer said. “I didn’t have my best stuff today, but I gave the team a chance to win and Logyn came up with a big hit to knock some runners in. Guys stepped up.”

L-P added an insurance run on an RBI triple by Mac Nelson in the fifth. Dane Schara doubled in a run in the second to tie the game at 1-1.

The Athletics will now take on  No. 2 Southland in a Section 1A semifinal in Riverland at noon Saturday.  The teams split the regular season series. 

L-P has never gone to state in program history and the Rebels last went to state in 2010.

“We’re trying to make a deep run, we’ve just got to keep going game by game,” VaDeer said. 

On Saturday, Spring Grove scored five runs in the top of the first on L-P, but the Athletics bounced back to win 21-8.

United South Central 100  010  1  – 3  1  3

Lyle-Pacelli 010  211  0  – 5  5  1

LP pitching: Hunter VaDeer (W) 5 IPK, 6 BB, 2 ER, 8 K, 2 HBP; Logyn Brooks (S) 2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 3 K, 1 HBP

LP hitting: Landon Meyer, 0-for-3, R, BB; Mac Nelson, 1-for-4, triple, RBI; Hunter VaDeer, 1-for-2, R, 2 SB, BB; Jake Truckenmiller, 0-for-3, R, SB, BB; Isaac Nelson, 0-for-3; Dane Schara, 1-for-2, double, RBI; Logyn Brooks, 1-for-3, double, 2 RBIs; Jake Klingfus, 0-for-2, R, BB; Trey Anderson, 1-for-3

Saturday’s game

LP 21, Spring Grove 8

LP pitching: Hunter VaDeer 1 IP, 3 H, 4 BB, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 K; Isaac Nelsen (W) 2 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 0 R, 5 K; Jake Truckenmiller, 1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 R, 0 ER, 1 K

LP hitting: Landon Meyer, 0-for-1, 4 R, 2 RBIs; Mac Nelson, 2-for-4, 3 RBIs, 2 R; Hunter VaDeer, 3-for-4, 5 RBIs, R; Jake Truckenmiller, 0-for-1, RBI, R; Isaac Nelsen, 2-for-4, RBI, 2 R; Dane Schara, 1-for-2, 3 R; Logyn Brooks, 0-for-3, R; Jack Klingfus, 0-for-1, 2 R, RBI; Trey Anderson, 2-for-3, 3 RBIs, 2 R