July 3, 2025 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

SJO baseball loses heartbreaker in sectional title game

For six innings, Crayton Burnett was unhittable.


But all it took were two singles that just fell out of the reach of the St. Joseph-Ogden High School baseball team to end the Spartans’ season on May 25.


Burnett pitched another masterful game in the postseason, not allowing a hit in his first six innings against Tuscola during a Class 2A sectional championship game at Jack Horenberger Field on the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington.


But Lucas Kresin’s single into left field with two outs in the bottom of the seventh scored Tuscola pinch-runner Michael Ludwig for the game’s only run and a 1-0 win by Tuscola.


“That’s baseball,” SJO coach Josh Haley said. “It can happen quick.”


SJO outhit Tuscola 4-2 and put multiple baserunners in scoring position in multiple innings, yet couldn’t scratch across a run.


That turned Burnett into the tough-luck loser. A week after throwing a three-hit complete game to lift SJO to its eighth straight regional title, Burnett threw 6 2/3 innings, giving up two hits and two walks to go along with six strikeouts.


Nick Boggs, Zach Martini, Blake Primmer and Adam Rose all had singles for SJO, with Rose and Adam Frerichs stealing one base apiece. But SJO left nine runners stranded after failing to score in the second inning with the bases loaded and again in the third and fourth innings when SJO put runners on second and third base.


It all added up to deny SJO a shot at the program’s first sectional championship since 2017.


“We’ve been fortunate enough to move on in the past,” Haley said. “The story of the game is we didn’t score when we had the opportunities.”
Despite the tough ending to the season, it shouldn’t take away from Burnett’s sensational pitching, particularly in the postseason.


Or what the five seniors — Rose, Frerichs, Boggs, Kaden Jacobs and Caleb Johnson — accomplished during their SJO careers that ended with a 27-9-2 record in 2019.


“We had five seniors that gave us everything they had,” Haley said. “We talked about carrying on the torch from the guys behind them. The foundation is really solid, and we needed this year to solidify that foundation. I’m going to remember this year for a lot more than that walk-off loss.”

Banner
Related Posts

Martinie, Frick propel SJO girls’ basketball in two straight wins

January 23, 2023

January 23, 2023

More losses than wins have unfolded so far this season for the St. Joseph-Ogden High School girls’ basketball team.But the...

Frick, Brooks deliver, but SJO girls’ basketball loses twice

January 16, 2023

January 16, 2023

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School girls’ basketball team kept it close in its two Illini Prairie Conference games last week,...

Frick, Hug and Martinie excel as SJO girls’ basketball opens new year with win

January 9, 2023

January 9, 2023

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School girls’ basketball team has shown flashes of its potential thisseason. Just not enough on a...

SJO football bows out in first round of playoffs

November 4, 2019

November 4, 2019

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School football team saw its season end this past Saturday with a 54-26 loss at Williamsville...

Athlete of the Month-Hannah Dukeman

August 29, 2019

August 29, 2019

Every month a committee of coaches selects a student-athlete of the month from nominees in–season coaches supply. We then ask...

SJO girls’ basketball reaches Sweet 16

February 12, 2019

February 12, 2019

One more win and the St. Joseph-Ogden High School girls’ basketball team can celebrate its first sectional championship in 12...

Get to know… SJO Tennis Player Lily Rice

October 14, 2022

October 14, 2022

We asked SJO Tennis Player Lily Rice three questions. Here are her answers. Who is your favorite tennis player of...

Burnett living out dream, signs with Illinois

June 3, 2021

June 3, 2021

Throughout the years, the St. Joseph-Ogden High School baseball team has sent multiple players on to the next level. The...

Cook surpasses 1,000 career points

February 18, 2019

February 18, 2019

Before the St. Joseph-Ogden girls’ basketball teams plays Monday night for a shot to reach the state tournament, facing Chicago...

Poe named male student-athlete of the month for August

September 20, 2019

September 20, 2019

Photo by Betty Lake Photography Eric Poe is a leader. St. Joseph-Ogden cross country head coach Jason Retz said Poe...

Knott, Meyer win conference titles for SJO

May 2, 2019

May 2, 2019

The Illini Prairie Conference track and field meet took place over two days because of inclement weather. But when it...

Fall scrimmage night set at SJO

August 23, 2019

August 23, 2019

Want to get a sneak peek at what St. Joseph-Ogden High School athletes will look like this upcoming fall season?...

10 things you don’t know about me… SJO Quarterback Logan Smith

September 2, 2022

September 2, 2022

We asked St. Joseph-Ogden quarterback Logan Smith to tell us 10 interesting things about himself. Here are his answers. My...

Cramer, Jacob come up clutch in SJO girls’ basketball’s win against Tuscola

December 5, 2019

December 5, 2019

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School girls’ basketball team has fared well under pressure so far this season. The Spartans’ latest...

Spartans kick off season with 1-1 record

March 31, 2021

March 31, 2021

SJO 28-Pontiac 0 The Spartans dominated on both sides of the line of scrimmage in defeating the Indians 28-0 in...

Comments
Leave a Reply