TROY - Keegan Seipp's two-run homer in the top of the seventh triggered a seven-run seventh inning for Triad, allowing the Knights to take a 9-1 win over Marion and advance to the IHSA Class 3A baseball sectional final in a game played Wednesday afternoon, June 4, 2025, and evening at Triad High.
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The win means that Triad will play Mascoutah, who won the first semifinal over Salem 16-2, in Saturday's final, with the winner going on to the super-sectional game at Milliken University in Decatur.
Both teams traded runs in the opening inning, but the Knights took a 2-1 lead in the fifth when a ground out by Landon Loomis scored Hayden Bernreuter, who drew a walk, went to second when Hayden Bugger drew a walk, and went to third on a passed ball. The Wildcats had runners on second and third with two out when a rain delay hit, and after the delay, Sayer Brunson struck out the batter to preserve the thin lead.
All the Triad scoring in the seventh happened with two out. Loomis walked, and Seipp hit his two-run shot over the fence in right, scoring courtesy runner Evan Uhl ahead of Seipp to make it 4-1. From there, Nolan Keller scored on a wild pitch, Gabe Deaver hit a bases-clearing double to score three runs, and Bugger singled home Deaver to make it 9-1. Brunson retired the side in the bottom of the seventh to gain the win for Triad.
Seipp led he Knight with two hits, including his game-breaking homer, and three RBIs, while Braxton Yates also had two hits, Deaver's bases-clearing double was his only hit and three RBIs on the day, Bugger had a hit and RBI, both Carter Gaskill and Keller had a hit each, and Loomis drove in a run. Keller started on the mound, and was credited with the win, giving up an earned run on five hits, walking one and striking out four. Brunson pitched the final two innings, not allowing a hit, and also walked one and fanned four.
Triad is now 32-6, while the Indians are 26-8, and will meet at Triad's park in the sectional final Saturday morning at 11 a.m., with the winner playing against the Lincoln sectional winner at Milliken University Monday at 6 p.m. The state finals are set for June 13-14 at Slammers Stadium in Joliet.
Marion ends its season at 23-10, while Salem's season finishes at 16-15.
