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By Rodger Wheeler (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
James Schaefer was able to completely shut down the Monett Cubs in the Class 4 state baseball quarterfinal Thursday at Aurora High School. A home game for the Cubs, but had to be moved to nearby Aurora because of torrential rains the night before. Giving up just three base hits, the junior from Jefferson City Helias picked up the win 7-0 that will send Helias to the Class 4 Final Four next weekend.
“He moved the ball around well, located the ball and we just had a hard time hitting it hard at the right time,” said Monett head coach Mike Calhoun, whose Cubs end the season with a record of 19-7.
The Monett three hits were spread out over seven innings and Schaefer was able to strike out 11 Monett hitters.
“You have to give him and his team credit,” said Calhoun. “They are a very deserving team.”
4Helias has now advanced to the state quarterfinals four seasons in a row. The last three were losses to Monett’s Big 8 Conference foe Aurora.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
Helias plated two runs in the second inning, followed by three more in the third. It was in the third inning with the first two men on for the Crusaders that a line drive hit Monett pitcher Dale Slater in the knee, forcing him from the game.
“I knew as soon as it hit him he was done,” Calhoun said. “But I felt like Estin McBroom came in a did a great job in relief. We just struggled to get him any runs.”
Monett senior Corey Spain summed up his team’s four-year run after the loss with praise for the program.
“I felt like we found a way to get better every year, from my freshman year on,” said Spain. “And we capped it off with a long run all the way to the quarters. We wanted more but I am proud of what we accomplished.”
Jefferson City Helias improved to 23-4 on the season and are currently ranked number two in the Class 4 state baseball coaches’ rankings.
Monett – 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0
Helias – 0 2 3 0 0 3 x – 7
