LENA, Ill. — When the postseason struck the Fulton Steamers baseball team leaned on ace Chase Dykstra and on Wednesday he delivered again with a complete game against Rockford Lutheran. But great pitching only matters when the offense can give you some relief and that is exactly what the Steamers did, jumping on the Crusaders early in the game. After plating six runs in the first inning last Saturday in their Regional Championship, the Steamers plated three runs in the first inning of this contest. Braedon Meyers and Braeden Brennan singled before Jacob Huisenga drove in the first run of the game with a single of his own. Two batters later Dom Kramer poked one up the middle to plate two more runs, extending the lead to 3-0. The Crusaders got on the board in the bottom of the second when a single and an error plated their lone run of the day, cutting into the lead at 3-1. Brennan’s RBI double in the top of the fifth scored the last run of the game, extending the Steamers advantage back to three runs at 4-1. Dykstra went the distance, pitching all seven innings, striking out nine batters and giving up just three hits and an unearned run. He faced 28 batters while throwing 112 pitches. Fulton is now 17-13 on the year and will face River Ridge/Scales Mound (12-14) on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Lena-Winslow High School for a Sectional Title. The Steamers won both matchups on the season (4-0, 9-1).

LENA, Ill. — When the postseason struck the Fulton Steamers baseball team leaned on ace Chase Dykstra and on Wednesday he delivered again with a complete game against Rockford Lutheran.

kAmqFE 8C62E A:E49:?8 @?=J >2EE6CD H96? E96 @776?D6 42? 8:G6 J@F D@>6 C6=:67 2?5 E92E 😀 6I24E=J H92E E96 $E62>6CD 5:5[ ;F>A:?8 @? E96 rCFD256CD 62C=J 😕 E96 82>6]k^Am

kAmp7E6C A=2E:?8 D:I CF?D 😕 E96 7:CDE :??:?8 =2DE $2EFC52J 😕 E96:C #68:@?2= r92>A:@?D9:A[ E96 $E62>6CD A=2E65 E9C66 CF?D 😕 E96 7:CDE :??:?8 @7 E9:D 4@?E6DE]k^Am

kAmqC265@? |6J6CD 2?5 qC2656? qC6??2? D:?8=65 367@C6 y24@3 wF:D6?82 5C@G6 😕 E96 7:CDE CF? @7 E96 82>6 H:E9 2 D:?8=6 @7 9:D @H?] %H@ 32EE6CD =2E6C s@> zC2>6C A@<65 @?6 FA E96 >:55=6 E@ A=2E6 EH@ >@C6 CF?D[ 6IE6?5:?8 E96 =625 E@ b\_]k^Am

kAm%96 rCFD256CD 8@E @? E96 3@2C5 😕 E96 3@EE@> @7 E96 D64@?5 H96? 2 D:?8=6 2?5 2? 6CC@C A=2E65 E96:C =@?6 CF? @7 E96 52J[ 4FEE:?8 :?E@ E96 =625 2E b\`]k^Am

kAmqC6??2?’D #qx 5@F3=6 😕 E96 E@A @7 E96 7:7E9 D4@C65 E96 =2DE CF? @7 E96 82>6[ 6IE6?5:?8 E96 $E62>6CD 25G2?E286 324< E@ E9C66 CF?D 2E c\`]k^Am

kAmsJ

kAmuF=E@? 😀 ?@H `f\`b @? E96 J62C 2?5 H:== 7246 #:G6C #:586^$42=6D |@F?5 W`a\`cX @? $2EFC52J 2E “ 2]>] 2E {6?2\(:?D=@H w:89 $49@@= 7@C 2 $64E:@?2= %:E=6] %96 $E62>6CD H@? 3@E9 >2E49FAD @? E96 D62D@? Wc\_[ h\`X]k^Am