IHSAA baseball: Bloomington South shines in rainy sectional semi-final

South's Blaise Oeding (14) fires the pitch against East Central during the IHSAA semi-final sectional game at Bloomington High School South on Friday, May 27, 2022.
South's Blaise Oeding (14) fires the pitch against East Central during the IHSAA semi-final sectional game at Bloomington High School South on Friday, May 27, 2022.

Bloomington South looks like a team that's having great fun playing baseball right now.

It's reflected in the execution by everybody in the lineup, as was the case even in a soggy, chilly Friday in the semifinals of the Class 4A South Sectional.

The Panthers kept up the pressure from the very start in a rainy 12-2, five-inning thumping that knocked out an East Central squad flying high after its first-round upset of Columbus North.

"Hope it keeps up." South coach Phil Kluesner said. "I just back up and let them have fun.

"It's responsibility baseball and they bought into it. You have to be on your toes because there's multiple things going on at once. That's the way I like it."

South (14-12) gets to come back for one last home game on Monday at 6 p.m. in the title game vs. Columbus East (12-16).

More: Milestone achieved: Bloomington South's Phil Kluesner in good company

"We're there on the doorstep," Kluesner said. "We've just got to take care of business."

South hit the ball on the button all day, not recording a single flyout. Singles, doubles, bunts, walks, stolen bases, hit batters, bunts and threats to bunt. It all kept runners circling the bases in every inning, with East Central's pitchers helping out with some wildness.

South's Mason Younger (27) slides home to score a run against East Central during the IHSAA semi-final sectional game at Bloomington High School South on Friday, May 27, 2022.
South's Mason Younger (27) slides home to score a run against East Central during the IHSAA semi-final sectional game at Bloomington High School South on Friday, May 27, 2022.

"We came back, first day of summer, coach set up a pitching machine, set it for nothing but fastballs and for 30 minutes, we were bunting over and over again," South senior Blaise Oeding said. "I really think it helped a lot. We knew from the beginning, if we could get a majority of our team to be able to bunt consistently, it would put a lot more pressure on the pitchers.

"The game's already hard as it is. And if they have to fight for every out like that, it makes it even harder."

Max effort

Catcher Max McCammon found himself moved up in the order to the No. 4 spot. Wait. No. 3 spot. Much better. He responded by going 3-for-3 with a walk while his courtesy runner, Lucas Waldon, scored three times.

"That makes me look smart, doesn't it," Kluesner quipped. "He's been hot. I originally had him at cleanup, but you know what? I'm watching Florida and (Arkansas) and thought, I'm going to him up to third. If you move that guy up he's going to drive more guys in. So I'm glad it worked out.

"He's a been a really big leader this week. Actually the second half of the season. He's kind of a rah-rah leader and you need that."

South's Max McCammon (17) hits against East Central during the IHSAA semi-final sectional game at Bloomington High School South on Friday, May 27, 2022.
South's Max McCammon (17) hits against East Central during the IHSAA semi-final sectional game at Bloomington High School South on Friday, May 27, 2022.

By the end of the game, 15 players got in the game, eight players had scored, six had a hit and four had at least one RBI.

Only four because four runs scored on wild pitches and another came on a double steal. A difficult day for East Central pitching also included six walks and a hit batter in addition to South's 10 hits.

Jump starter

For the second playoff game in a row, South scored in the first inning. This time it was a four-run outburst.

A single for leadoff hitter AJ Brinson was followed by a walk to Justin Zaleski, a hit for McCammon and a bases loaded walk to Cooper Webb. A fielder's choice made it 2-0.

With Mason Younger at the plate, Brayden Blevins took off to steal second. The throw went through, giving Waldon the chance to dash home and beat the tag.

South's Brayden Blevins (20) celebrates scoring a run against East Central during the IHSAA semi-final sectional game at Bloomington High School South on Friday, May 27, 2022.
South's Brayden Blevins (20) celebrates scoring a run against East Central during the IHSAA semi-final sectional game at Bloomington High School South on Friday, May 27, 2022.

Then Oeding dumped an opposite field double into left for a 4-0 advantage.

South had runners on every inning. It's short game produced two sacrifice bunts and when Oeding threatened to bunt in the fifth, it pulled the third baseman in. Oeding neatly punched the ball through the gap into left to help kickstart a four-run burst that ended it.

Big spot for Elkins

Designated hitter Dillon Elkins was 1 for his last 17 when he stepped to the plate in the third with the bases loaded and two outs. He had a two-strike count when he drilled a two-run double to left to make it 6-2.

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He later draw a walk that led to the 11th run.

"He's done a pretty good job with two-strike adjustments this year," Kluesner said. "Not all the time but he's bought into that mentality. We've worked really hard with him on that because a kid that stature is going to get some of the junky stuff. He's going to get a lot of two-strike counts."

Blaise in the rain

Oeding (5-4) had but one rocky frame, striking out six en route to the complete game win.

Both of East Central's runs came in the third when Oeding starting falling behind batters, starting the inning by walking the 8-9 guys.

More: Never too late: Senior Blaise Oeding finding new focus for Bloomington South baseball

He gave up a run scoring double and a sacrifice fly, then had a talk about first-pitch strikes, which he delivered to seven of the last eight batters he faced.

"I wanted to say I could blame it on the ball," Oeding said. "There's no excuses. You always have to find ways to adjust to the weather. It's not always great but it's easier when your team is backing up like that."

Contact Jim Gordillo at jgordillo@heraldt.com and follow on Twitter @JimGordillo.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: IHSAA baseball: Bloomington South shines in rainy sectional semis