Prep Baseball Report

Become a Member

More +

1A/2A State Semifinals: Recap

June 12, 2026
By: Illinois Staff

This Friday and Saturday, June 12th and June 13th, the IHSA 1A and 2A state playoffs took place at Illinois Field in Champaign, IL. Four teams from each respective classification battled it out for high school baseball’s most coveted honors - a state title.

Our staff took in Friday’s semi-final matchups, and we’ve recapped all of today's action below.

CLASS 1A RECAP

Tremont vs. Routt Catholic

In the first game of this year’s 1A State Finals, we saw Tremont take on Routt Catholic.

Tremont got things going early picking up three runs in the first inning, highlighted by RBI singles up the middle of the field from RHP Andrew Dawson (2026; Valparaiso) and LF Chase Rhodes (2026; John A. Logan JC).

Routt Catholic followed up Tremont’s three-run bottom of the first with two runs of their own, scoring them on a well-hit double to the right-center gap from C Talon Thompson (2026).

The Turks of Tremont followed with two runs in the bottom of the second inning, scoring on a bases loaded walk and an error. They added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth on a perfectly executed, bases loaded squeeze from 3B Hunter Smith (2026; Monmouth), with their second run coming across on a passed ball, giving them the 7-2 lead..

Routt Catholic scored in the top of the fifth inning on a hit from LF Anson Butcher (2027), cutting Tremont’s lead to four.

Tremont got their bats going again in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring three runs in the inning. LF Chase Rhodes drove in a run and C Jake Williams (2028) doubled and drove in a run to give the Turks the 10-3 lead, and ultimately the win.

Putnam County vs. North Clay

In the second 1A State Semifinals game of the day, Putnam County and North Clay faced off.

It was Putnam County who scored first, crossing two runs. SS Maddox Poole (2028) drove one down the left field line to score a run, and LF Peyton Barto (2027) drove a run in on a fielder’s choice.

North Clay picked up their first run of the game on a fly ball error in the bottom of the second inning. They eventually tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth when 1B Carter Walden (2026) doubled to the right-center gap, driving in a run.

In the top of the sixth, Putnam County had a runner on second, who stole third base with two outs, and ultimately scored on an interference call, giving them the 3-2 lead.

Down to their last out in the bottom of the seventh inning, North Clay drove in a run on a double down the line from SS Ian Jones (2026), sending the game into extra innings.

Putnam County started the eighth inning with a double from SS/RHP Johnathon Stunkel (2026; ICC commit), and he later scored on a sacrifice fly from SS/RHP Maddox Poole, giving them the 4-3 lead and eventually the win.

Stunkel threw 6.2 innings on the mound, struck out five, walked two, allowed one run and five hits.

CLASS 2A RECAP

Harvest-Westminster vs. Freeburg

To kickoff the 2A State Semifinals, Harvest-Westminster and Freeburg faced off in a high-scoring affair.

Freeburg took the early 4-0 lead, getting runners on by a hit-by-pitch and an error. SS Cole Miller (2026) stepped to the plate and drove in a run on a single, and 3B Dane Johnson (2027) followed with a two-RBI triple. Johnson eventually scored on a sacrifice fly from RF Jonathan Barlow (2027; Bradley).

Harvest-Westminster had a big inning of their own, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first. The first two batters for the Rams reached base on a hit-by-pitch and an error before C Tommy Neubert (2027) singled to center field, driving in one run. RHP Ryan St. Louis (2027) stepped up and delivered an RBI double, and RF Luke Bartolome (2026) followed with an RBI single to put the game at 4-3.

Harvest-Westminster added three more runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead. Back-to-back walks put runners on first and second, and then 1B Jameson Rapinchuk (2026; Maryville University) came to the plate and drove in a run on a single. LF Brian Powers (2026) later drove in a run on an RBI single, and 3B Samuel Dries (2026) followed with an RBI single of his own, giving the Rams the 6-4 lead.

The Rams continued to add to their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, with Neubert reaching base on a single and the next batter reaching on a hit-by-pitch. Rapinchuk stepped to the plate and delivered an RBI single, his second hit and RBI of the day, extending their lead to three runs.

In the top of the fifth inning, Freeburg’s C Beau Breyman (2027) reached on a single. Miller reached on an error, and Johnson followed with a single up the middle before Barlow drove in Breyman on a sacrifice fly, putting the game at 7-5 heading into the bottom of the fifth.

RHP Thomas Neubert came into the game to close it out for the Rams, throwing one inning and striking out two.

Marquette vs. St. Joseph-Ogden

In the nightcap of the 1A/2A State Semifinals, Marquette and St. Joseph-Ogden squared off in a must-win game.

St. Joseph-Ogden got things going in the bottom half of the first inning where they scored two runs, highlighted by a well-hit ball to deep center field from 3B Finn Miller (2027) who tripled and drove in a run.

Marquette followed with a run of their own in the top half of the second inning on a sacrifice fly to right field from DH Beau Thompson (2027).

The next three innings were all St. Joseph-Ogden, as they picked up a run in the bottom of the third inning on a passed ball. In the bottom of the fourth, LF Parker Fitch (2026; Lake Land JC) drove in a run on a groundout, and they followed up in the fifth inning with two runs scored - a sacrifice fly to deep right field from RF Trevor Ames (2026; Morton JC), and another passed ball, giving the Spartans the 6-1 lead.

RHP Asher Pruemer (St. Joseph-Ogden, 2026; Kaskaskia JC) was dominant on the mound, tossing a complete game with six strikeouts, one walk, no earned runs, and four hits allowed.

The Spartans are set to play Harvest-Westminster tomorrow night at 7:00 pm for a chance at the 2A State Title.

RELATED CONTENT