MOLINE, Ill. – For the first time in more than 50 years, the East Peoria Community High School boys’ baseball team is state-bound.
The Raiders punched their ticket Monday after defeating Geneva, 8-1, in the Class 3A supersectional at Blackhawk College in Moline.
East Peoria will take on Chicago St. Rita in the state semifinals Friday at 10:00 A.M. at Joliet’s Slammers Stadium. It’s the first appearance at state for East Peoria since 1974.
The Raiders jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the 1st inning on a line drive by Auggie Lohnes. Geneva would get one back in the bottom of the 1st, but that would be the only run they scored in the game.
Lohnes went 2-4 with a walk and 2 RBIs for East Peoria. Eli Martin went 2-5 with 2 RBIs.
Dalton Oakman picked up the win for the Raiders, throwing 6+ IP with 4 hits, one walk, one run, and two strikeouts.
While East Peoria is not the only team left from central Illinois, they were the only team to get their supersectional game in on Monday. Games postponed to Tuesday include Tremont at Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington against Armstrong, and Brimfield taking on Ottawa Marquette and Peru’s Schweickert Stadium.
