WESTPHALIA, Mo. - Fatima coach Scott Kilgore knew his team had the potential to be successful this season.
But getting back to the Final Four was a different question four months ago.
"If somebody told me that at the beginning of the season, I probably would have looked at them a little funny," Kilgore said. "But anything is possible."
He was right.
Fatima will now get a chance to defend its state title after claiming a 7-1 win against Bishop LeBlond in a Class 3 quarterfinal game Wednesday at Lions Field.
"It doesn't get any better than that," Kilgore said. "You know, back-to-back trips to the Final Four. It feels good."
Logan Vogel threw a complete game, allowing three hits, while Hunter Hennier and Jared Schulte both hit home runs to help put the Comets (21-9) in position to win another state championship.
"I knew we had a chance to get back, but not as good of a chance as last year," Vogel said. "We lost a lot of solid leadership, but we had a lot of varsity players returning, so it was just a transition from the bench to starters that we needed to make, and we did."
Vogel walked five and allowed all three hits in the first three innings, but the junior right-hander was lights out after that.
"I know I had a little bit of nerves at the beginning," Vogel, who also struck out five, said. "After I settled in and found my release point - I guess I was just rolling from there."
Bishop LeBlond (16-8) drew a bases-loaded walk to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. The Golden Eagles followed that by loading the bases with no outs in the third, but Vogel responded by retiring three straight to get out of the inning.
"I think nerves got to him a little bit, but he settled in," Kilgore said. "I've seen him throw a lot better, but he battled, and that was the key."
Vogel went on to record 14 straight outs before issuing a two-out walk in the top of the seventh. It didn't matter.
"I just let my defense work," Vogel said. "I have a great defense behind me and I know that if I make the pitches I can, then they'll make the plays."
Vogel, who threw 108 pitches, got all the run support he needed when Reid Kesel and Hennier came around to score in the bottom of the second.
Fatima added some insurance with Schulte's two-run home run to cap off the frame, giving the Comets a 4-1 lead. Schulte jumped on the first pitch he saw and watched his first-career home run fly over the fence in right field.
"All I was trying to do was just extend the inning - get on base any way I could," said Schulte, Fatima's nine-hole hitter. "I love hitting the first pitch, and if it's there I go for it. It was there and I got some loft under it. Knowing this park, I knew it had a chance because a lot of fly balls always have a chance to go out here."
Hennier extended the lead with a three-run home run home run to left to give the Comets a 7-1 cushion in the third.
"That's huge," Kilgore said. "You can build off that, and I know Logan did. It's always easier to throw with a little run support."
Fatima had one other hit in the final three innings - a one-out double by Schulte - but the Comets didn't need any more.
Sam Hager added an RBI, while John Fick and Kesel both added singles to lead the offensive attack for Fatima, which has won nine of its last 11 games.
"These boys are playing their absolute best baseball right now," Kilgore said. "They're swinging the bat well with runners in scoring position. Defensively, teams are putting the ball in play and we're doing the things that we need to do to win."
Fatima fought through its district as the No. 3 seed, before edging Holden 1-0 in a sectional game Monday.
"I think our schedule really prepares us for the postseason," Kilgore said. "It prepares us for districts No. 1 and I think that puts us at an advantage. I knew once we got out of our district, we'd have a shot. Our district is just loaded and it's just great baseball in central Missouri."
Fatima will take on Springfield Catholic (26-2) in a state semifinal game at 4 p.m. Tuesday at T.R. Hughes Ballpark in O'Fallon. The Comets edged the Fighting Irish 2-0 in eight innings in the state championship game last season.
New Madrid County Central (14-12) and O'Fallon: Christian (17-10) will meet in the other side of the bracket at 6:30 p.m Tuesday.
The winner of each semifinal game will advance to the championship game at 1 p.m. Wednesday.
"The goal now is to go and do our best," Kilgore said. "We go up, we fight and we bring what we've been bringing to every game. Whatever happens, happens. But we're going to go and we're going to give it our best shot."