Bell City baseball team routs Mustangs to reach Class 1 state championship game

O'Fallon, Mo. -- Bell City baseball coach Justin Simpher's only concern with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning of his team's Class 1 state semifinal on Tuesday was making sure that left fielder Nolan Schaefer reached third base safely after a fielding error by the Northwest (Hughesville) shortstop and a throwing error by the left fielder.

He had no idea what was going on as his players made the way out of the dugout excitedly. A pair of runs had scored on the errors to push the Cubs' lead to 10, which meant an 11-1 victory by way of the run-rule.

The shortened win at TR Hughes Ballpark secured Bell City a spot in the state championship game for the first time in program history. The Cubs (24-3) will play Atlanta (14-3) for the title at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Bell City's Nate Finney slides safely home past Northwest's Trey Green in the fourth inning during a Class 1 semifinal, Tuesday, June 2, 2015 in O Fallon, Missouri. (Glenn Landberg)

"I didn't even realize the game was over," Simpher said with a laugh. "I'm sitting there like not wanting my runner to get thrown out at third, and so I just really wasn't thinking that it was the 10-run rule. I'm just watching the runners and doing it the whole time and keeping an eye. Then they were like, 'Hey, that's the game.' I wasn't even thinking. I just wanted to make sure my runners were safe and were being smart. Yeah, it was just a wild way to win but we took advantage of the situation."

The Cubs were able to capitalize on seven errors by the Mustangs (13-15), who will play for third place at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, but didn't need help from their opponent to plate their first run of the game.

Shortstop Cole Nichols drew a leadoff walk, stole second and reached third on a groundout before third baseman Nate Finney's single to center gave Bell City a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.

"They were ready to play. You get to this point and everybody's adrenaline is going and ready to play," Simpher said. "We talked before the game and said, 'Hey, let's put the ball in play and make them field it.' They started that from the get-go and just kind of kept doing it and kept doing it and putting pressure, and it led to some runs and some bigger innings."

First baseman Tyler Evans, who went 3 for 3, led off the second with a walk before Northwest starter Trey Green struck out the next two batters. No. 9 hitter Jessie Smith hit one up the middle that tipped off the pitcher's glove and was safe at first when the shortstop's throw was off the mark. Evans advanced to third on the play and scored on a fielding error at short during the next at-bat.

Bell City players line up for the national anthem at the start of a Class 1 semifinal against Northwest, Tuesday, June 2, 2015 in O Fallon, Missouri. (Glenn Landberg)

Pitcher Austin Hicks sent a two-run single through the left side to extend the Cubs' lead to 4-0.

Back-to-back singles from catcher Bobby Wright and Evans started the third before they were bunted into scoring position. Schaefer's sacrifice fly plated a run, and Bell City went up 6-0 when a pop fly off the bat of Smith dropped between four Northwest players on the right side of the infield.

"We wanted it. The errors contributed, but we wanted it," said Finney, who went 3 for 3. "Even if they have the errors, we've got to put the ball in play. We put ourselves in a position to score a lot."

The Mustangs' lone run came in the top of the fourth when Tanner Killion singled to score Truman Leicher, who'd hit a one-out triple to right.

It was the only run allowed by Hicks, who improved to 9-0 with the win. He struck out seven -- including five in the fifth and sixth innings -- did not walk a batter and allowed seven hits.

Hicks said that his cutter and curveball worked well for him, and Simpher said it was, "the same old Austin."

"That's what he's done for me really for two years," Simpher said. "As a freshman he had his moments of being a freshman, and this year he's stepped up, and that's what I expect out of him all the time. He's done that every game for me, so he went out and did what he was supposed to do and what he can do."

Bell City fans take in a Class 1 semifinal against Northwest, Tuesday, June 2, 2015 in O Fallon, Missouri. (Glenn Landberg)

The Cubs extended the lead to 9-1 in their half of the fourth on two hits and an error. Their only inning without a run was the fifth.

"We felt like we couldn't lose," Finney said. "We got to this point in the season; we can't lose now. It's just we're so far that we can't end it now. We've got to get all the way."

Northwest 000 100 -- 1 7 7

Bell City 132 302 -- 11 10 0

WP -- Austin Hicks (9-0). LP -- Trey Green (4-6). 2B -- Alex Brockman (N). 3B -- Truman Leicher (N). Multiple hits -- Northwest: Brockman 2-3, Green 2-3; Bell City: Nate Finney 3-3, Tyler Evans 3-3.