Eureka falls in Class 2A semifinal: 'Now we’re chasing 35 wins'

Eureka's Tanner Wiegand composes himself after the final out of Sacred Heart-Griffin's 6-5 win against the Hornets in a Class 2A semifinal on June 6, 2025 at Illinois Field. Michael Savoie/Clutch Sports Media

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CHAMPAIGN — The Eureka baseball team’s bid for program history featured plenty of twists and turns in its penultimate game. 

But the Hornets were eliminated from contention for their first state title by a 6-5 loss to Sacred Heart-Griffin in a Class 2A semifinal on Friday afternoon at Illinois Field. 

“We wanted to get this one and get into that final game,” Eureka coach Dane Wear said. That’s everybody’s goal, everybody’s dream. But now we’re chasing 35 wins and the highest we’ve ever gotten in school history with a third place finish. 

“That’s our speech, that’s our talk, that’s our focus and that’s our goal. And we’ll be ready tomorrow.”

Eureka last appeared in the state finals in 2015, when the Hornets placed fourth in their only Final Four appearance. 

Eureka's Tanner Wiegand throws a pitch during Sacred Heart-Griffin's 6-5 win against the Hornets in a Class 2A semifinal on June 6, 2025 at Illinois Field. Michael Savoie/Clutch Sports Media

The Hornets’ second appearance started with a pep talk from Ben Zobrist, who graduated from Eureka in 2000 before embarking on a 14-year MLB career. 

“He’s the best player to come out of Eureka and it’s really an honor to see him there and have a conversation with him there,” Eureka senior Ben Lapp said.

“His words were, he’s paid attention to us throughout the whole season and he told us to enjoy every moment. And I think I did.” 

Friday’s game began some five minutes earlier than its scheduled 4 p.m. start time, coinciding with the onset of a steady rain at Illinois Field. Umbrellas dotted the stands between the dugouts until the rain subsided roughly 20 minutes later. 

Ty Springer and Mike Groesch were unfazed, as Springer hit a one-out single against Eureka starter Tanner Wiegand and came around to score off the bat of Groesch for the Cyclones’ first run of the game. 

“He’s a competitor,” Wear said of Wiegand. “He was there through the end. He’s going to have a good college career, and he’s a battler.” 

Ben Lapp responded by leading off the bottom of the first inning with a double before scoring on an error that placed teammate Teagan McLaughlin at first base. 

A bunt from Cohen Alstat and a walk from Mason Stoller loaded the bases with Hornets with no outs, with McLaughlin and Cohen Alstat scoring as part of the Hornets’ first-inning rally.

“I’m super proud of these guys,” Lapp said. “We’ve worked so hard throughout the whole season. We’ve grown together, grown friendships together. We’ve done so much as a team.” 

Austin Rutter led off the top of the second inning with a single for the Cyclones before a strong throw from catcher John Martin caught him on the run to second base. Wiegand settled in with a pair of strikeouts to end the frame. 

Eureka's dugout celebrates a run during Sacred Heart-Griffin's 6-5 win against the Hornets in a Class 2A semifinal on June 6, 2025 at Illinois Field. Michael Savoie/Clutch Sports Media

Each pitcher settled in from there, with Wiegand allowing just one hit across the next two innings. 

“I can’t explain it, but we’ve got to come ready tomorrow,” Wiegand said. “It hurts a little, but we’ve just got to get ready for tomorrow.” 

SHG plated a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning when Drew Ward and Seth Monk crossed the plate to tie the game, with Andy Antonacci hitting an RBI double to score Ward and Monk scoring on a single from Carson Butler. 

Eureka (34-5) roared back to retake a 5-3 lead after the sixth inning, however, when Martin drove in Wiegand on a fielder’s choice and Lapp hit a single to score Wiegand. 

Eureka's dugout cheers during Sacred Heart-Griffin's 6-5 win against the Hornets in a Class 2A semifinal on June 6, 2025 at Illinois Field. Michael Savoie/Clutch Sports Media

But a three-run outburst in the top of the seventh proved too much for the Hornets to overcome. Ward hit a double to score Will Coady and Tommy Lauterbach before Groesch tripled to drive in Monk. 

“That last ball was hit hard,” Lapp said. “I could have got there, I’m a fast guy. But I just didn’t get there that time, and that’s just baseball. The last three outs are tough to get. It happens.” 

Andrew Zimmerman and Isaac Schaefer walked for the Hornets in the bottom of the inning, but their final run stalled out when Ward came in to pitch and forced Wiegand to fly out to center. 

“You get to that point where you get to the last three outs, and it seems like those are the hardest ones to get in any baseball game,” Wear said. “We were on the wrong end of that one.” 

Eureka will have a chance to earn its best-ever finish in its final game of the season against Newman Central Catholic or Teutopolis in the third place game at 4 p.m. on Saturday. 

“Our community is great,” Wear said. “I’ve been teaching there for almost 24 years now and there’s no better place to be. My kids have grown up in that community, and we’re just so blessed to have them support us through the whole thing. 

“They’ve been there through it all, and they’ll be back again tomorrow.”