BUCKLEY — The early edge goes to Buckley’s Dutch Masters. Now the challenge is to take advantage.
In the 11 years since the Eastern Illinois Baseball League implemented a best-of-three championship series to determine the tournament winner, the first-game victor has taken the title less than half the time.
That’s why there was little celebration on Saturday when Trey Russell’s bottom-of-the-ninth single plated Drew Schrodt and provided walkoff heroics as the Dutch Masters edged Royal 6-5.
“We haven’t won anything yet,” Buckley player-coach Brock Niebuhr said.
Buckley had to rally twice. Royal took a 3-0 lead into the fifth inning when the Dutch Masters scored five unearned runs, highlighted by Brandon McFarland’s three-run double.