It was a win for the ages on Saturday as the North Clay Cardinals captured the IHSA Class 1A Altamont Regional Championship after defeating Beecher City last Wednesday and Brownstown Saturday.

North Clay Head Coach Rich Grubaugh was absolutley thrilled after the win.

“The realization of a dream. When I was hired as head coach we had eight players in the program. For me, my concern was bigger programs would drop us. It would of been nothing for the kids to quit on the program. They didn’t and I wish every kid that I have coached could feel what this feels like. Every kid who I have coached as been a part of what this has culminated to,” Grubauch said after the win.

This is the first regional title in boys baseball since 1994, a span of 15 years.

The Cardinals were the number one seed in the Altamont Regional and were matched in their semi-final game against Beecher City.

Beecher City, the number four seed, defeated the number five seed St. Elmo on Monday in Altamont.

It set up a semi-final game between the two clubs.

North Clay had not faced Beecher City this season and coach Rich Grubaugh sent Freshman Dylan McKnelly to the hill.

The southpaw pitched a masterful game. McKnelly pitched five innings, allowing just one run on three hits, struck out seven and walked two batters.

McKnelly kept Beecher City off the scoreboard in the top of the first inning and allowed the Cardinals to try and take the lead lead in the bottom half.

Sophomore Andrew Grahn led off the inning and reached safely on an error by the Beecher City shortstop.

Colton Bailey followed by drawing a lead-off walk to give the Cardinals two on with no out.

Senior John Logan Zink rifled a hit down the third base line to score Grahn from second and the Cardinals led 1-0.

Jonah Zink looked to drive home more runs, but a line drive off his bat was snagged by the Beecher City first baseman who quickly tagged first base for a double play.

A ground out to short by Bryan Harrington ended the North Clay threat.

Both North Clay and Beecher City were unable to put any runs on the scoreboard through the next three innings as the Cardinals led 1-0 heading into the top of the fifth inning.

McKnelly retired the first batter he faced in the top of the fifth, but then gave up a double and a single.

Beecher City then hit a pop out to shortstop for the second out of the inning.

An infield pop up dropped between McKnelly and Cardinals catcher Jonah Zink and allowed a run to score to tie the game at one.

Beecher City drew a walk and loaded the bases, but McKnelly worked out of the jam by inducing a ground ball to second baseman Bailey to end the inning.

North Clay bounced right back in the bottom of the fifth inning with Clint Quinn leading off with a walk.

Shane Acree followed with a walk of his own and the Cardinals had the bases loaded after an infield single by Dalton Zimmerman.

Zimmerman laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt, so good the Beecher City defense could not throw hit out.

North Clay had the top of the order up in Grahn.

Grahn failed to capitalize and struck out, leaving the bases loaded.

A groundball by Bailey scored Quinn and kept the bases loaded for the Cardinals.

John Logan Zink followed with a double down the left field line, scoring both Acree and Zimmerman.

A walk to Jonah Zink loaded the bases one more time for the Cardinals.

Beecher City then went to it’s bullpen and it was a costly move as a wild pitch allowed Bailey to score from third and give the Cardinals a 5-1 lead.

Coach Rich Grubaugh then decided to try and put the dagger in the hearts of Beecher City as he allowed John Logan Zink to steal home and put the Cardinals up 6-1.

A Beecher City balk allowed Jonah Zink to score the final run of the inning to put North Clay up 7-1.

Dalton Zimmerman came in to pitch the final two innings for the Cardinals and allowed two runs on one hit and preserved the win.

North Clay’s win sent them to the Regional Final game against the winner of the number six seed Brownstown and number two seed Patoka.

Brownstown reached the semi-final game by upsetting the number three seed and host Altamont, then reached the championship game by upsetting Patoka on Thursday.

Sophomore Bryan Harrington took to the hill as the regional championship game starter for the Cardinals.

Harrington pitched five innings, allowed three runs on just three hits.

Neither team was able to score the first two innings of the game, but in the top of the third inning, Brownstown put a notch on the scoreboard with a two out solo homerun.

North Clay answered the run in the bottom half of the third inning.

Zimmerman led off the inning with a walk and then stole second and moved to third on a ground out by Grahn.

Bailey hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Zimmerman and tying the game at one.

Harrington kept the Brownstown Bombers off the scoreboard in the top of the fourth inning, allowing the Cardinals to try to take the lead in the bottom half.

As every good pitcher does, Harrington helped his own cause with a lead-off single and moved to second on a throwing error.

Keith Limes grounded out and moved Harrington to third on the play. 

A wild pitch allowed Quinn to walk and gave Harrington the opportunity to score from third, giving North Clay the 2-1 advantage.

Acree singled  and moved Quinn to second, but neither would be able to score as Brownstown kept the Cardinals to a one run lead.

Harrington went back to the mound in the top of the fifth inning and retired the first two batters he faced.

He then found himself in trouble with a walk and two-run homerun given up to Brownstown.

The Sophomore Cardinal hurler lost the lead in the process as North Clay now trailed 3-2 after four-and-a-half innings of play.

The Cardinals tied the game up in the bottom of the fifth inning when the Zink brothers had back-to-back hits and a ground out by Harrington scored John Logan to tie the game at three.

Bailey to the mound for North Clay in the top of the sixth inning in relief of Harrington.

It didn’t take long for the Junior to find his groove as he sat down Brownstown in order and kept the game tied at three.

The Cardinals found themselves in good shape heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.

Acree drew a lead-off walk and after a Zimmerman strike out, stole second to put himself into scoring position.

A ground ball off the bat of Andrew Grahn moved Acree to third with Bailey coming to the plate.

Bailey ripped a 2-1 pitch for a single, drove home Acree and gave the Cardinals the 4-3 lead.

John Logan Zink flew out to end the inning.

After driving in the go ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning, Bailey then went to work on the mound in the top of the seventh trying to secure the Cardinals first regional championship in 15 years.

Bailey worked a perfect one-two-three inning and induced a fly out to left field  as the Cardinals celebrated the victory.

North Clay will try to keep their post-season alive when they travel to Red Hill on Thursday for a match-up against the South Central Cougars.

The Cardinals were 0-2 in the fall and 1-1 in the spring against the Cougars.

South Central won their regional by defeating Woodlwan 5-4 Saturday behind 13 strike-outs from Tanner Bushue, Thursday’s probable starter for the Cougars.