Burnett leads SJO baseball to regional title; BCC awaits in sectional semifinal

Crayton Burnett has put up eye-catching pitching performances throughout the season for the St. Joseph-Ogden High School baseball team.

Last Saturday was no different.

The sophomore right-hander threw a complete game in leading the Spartans past Monticello 3-1 in the Class 2A Unity Regional championship game.

Burnett struck out 11 and only allowed three hits in stifling the Sages and giving SJO its seventh straight regional championship.

The Spartans (26-8-2) will look to keep their season intact when they face host Bloomington Central Catholic (14-18) at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday in a 2A sectional semifinal game at McGraw Park in Bloomington.

SJO never trailed against Monticello, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning.

Sam Wesley led off the inning with a single and moved up to second on a walk issued to Kaden Jacobs. Both Wesley and Jacobs advanced 90 feet on a passed ball, setting the stage for Nick Boggs to drive in the first run with a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Wesley.

The Spartans upped their lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth without the benefit of a hit. Jacobs, Boggs and Drew Coursey all walked in consecutive plate appearances with one out to load the bases before Zach Martini hit into a fielder’s choice that plated Jacobs and gave Burnett all the offense he would need.

The Spartans tacked on another run in the fifth to go ahead 3-0, again without a hit. Adam Rose and Adam Frerichs both walked to lead off the inning, with Rose advancing to third on a passed ball. Burnett grounded into a double play, but Rose crossed home plate to give the Spartans their three-run lead.

Burnett retired the first 14 batters he faced before allowing a walk in the bottom of the fifth inning. He carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before three consecutive singles by Monticello ended his no-hit bid and trimmed SJO’s lead to 3-1.

Burnett didn’t allow a seventh-inning rally by Monticello, retiring the Sages in order to deliver another regional title to the Spartans.

If SJO defeats Bloomington Central Catholic, an Illini Prairie Conference team the Spartans beat 6-0 on April 11 in Bloomington, it would face either Tuscola (28-2) or Clifton Central (14-7) at 11 a.m. on Saturday in a sectional championship game at McGraw Park.