ST. PETERS, Mo. - In a playoff clash marked by momentous innings, Lutheran: St. Charles struck with the one that mattered most.
Lutheran wiped out a six-run deficit by piling on nine runs in the top of the fifth inning Wednesday as the Cougars went on to jolt the South Callaway Bulldogs in a wild 15-11 victory in the Class 3 quarterfinals.
South Callaway - which owned an 11-5 lead going to Lutheran's half of the fifth - had an eight-game winning streak halted in ending its season with a 20-8 record. The Bulldogs were attempting to return to the state semifinals for the first time since winning a Class 2 state championship in 2012.
The Cougars (16-12) will now move on to meet Fatima (20-7) in the Class 3 semifinals at 7 p.m. Monday at T.R. Hughes Ballpark in O'Fallon. Fatima advanced with an 8-1 quarterfinal triumph over Stockton on Wednesday.
Lutheran - which tallied four runs in the first to establish a fast advantage and eventually led 4-2 - found itself down by six runs after South Callaway erupted for six in the fourth and three more in the fifth to gain control. The Cougars responded by sending 13 batters to the plate in the fifth to break the game open.
Matthew Westpahl immediately ignited Lutheran's rally by hitting a leadoff home run to left off South Callaway senior starter Terry Miles. After three straight singles loaded the bases, Mathew Seacrist came through with a two-run single to right, bringing the Cougars within 11-8.
Lutheran then made it a two-run game when John Hurayt hit an RBI sacrifice fly. After Bulldogs sophomore reliever Graysan Peneston issued a walk, Kory Carter's run-scoring single to right pulled the Cougars within 11-10.
Justin Hunt followed with an RBI sacrifice fly to tie the game and Westpahl knocked in his second run of the inning with a single to left, putting Lutheran on top 12-11. Patrick Seacrist added an RBI single to left and the Cougars tacked on their final run of the inning, aided by a South Callaway error, to stretch their advantage to 14-11.
Lutheran put up its final run in the sixth on a bases-loaded walk.
South Callaway collected 10 hits.